


For We Once So Loved The World

by shadowlancer_95



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: BAMF Loki, BAMF Percy, BAMF everyone, Fix-It of Sorts, Loki Redemption, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-08 09:30:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 86,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5492234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowlancer_95/pseuds/shadowlancer_95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an earth shattering secret is revealed, all hope seems lost as the hero of Olympus sinks into despair, going into the shadows where he is content to remain for the rest of his life. But the Fates are cruel, and the once-hero is once again drawn into a war. Yet in the midst of such turmoil, he may find a kindred spirit to weather the storm with.</p><p> </p><p>*Cross-posted on ff.net under the same title. Author's name is HowlingDarkness95.*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first time posting on AO3 so pardon me if there are any problems or issues with the chapters. Just let me know and I'll try and rectify it as soon as possible.
> 
> This is set after Avengers 1, and disregards Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 story lines. There may be some elements which are similar, but overall, this story is just based after Avengers 1. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or Marvel.

 

_Alaska_

The rhythmic sound of ice breaking was a constant in the icy landscape of Alaska. A single figure remained in the clearing, standing out against the white landscape. Sweat dripped into the boy's eyes as he panted heavily, his raven black hair plastered against his neck from the hours of training that he had committed himself to. He held a sword in his right hand, surging forward to slash at the block of ice before him, rolling with the momentum and coming up to parry an imaginary strike. He twirled the sword in his hands and dashed forward in a flurry of blows aimed at and around the block of ice. His sword flew around him, lopping off the top of the ice his blade lightly touching the ground. The clearing fell silent, save for the harsh pants of the boy. Regaining his breath, he straightened up, glancing at the clearing through narrowed eyes. _Must have been too strung up recently,_ he mused, making his way down the glacier, there were huge gouges in the ice around him, and small bits of chipped ice lay scattered across the clearing. He looked up at the clear sky, oceanic green eyes swirling with pain and frustration as memories of the last time he was in Alaska assaulted him. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly to control his anger; he didn't want another relapse, not even in this desolate place. He opened his eyes, hard emerald glittering in the morning light. He turned and left the clearing, making his way towards a metallic dome at the bottom of the glacier.

~~~

High above Alaska, in the golden realm of Asgard, Odin Allfather sat upon the throne, his lone eye gazing into the distance, seeing and yet unseeing.

"Father?"

Odin blinked, looking down at his first born who knelt at his feet, gesturing for him to rise.

"Has something happened father?" Thor asked. The king sighed, "Nothing, the realms are silent, peace, it seems, has deigned to make its presence known. It is far too quiet…" he broke off eyes becoming unfocused once more. Thor frowned; his father seemed off recently, more weary than usual. "Father", he began hesitantly, waiting for his father's focus to return to him, "if there is nothing that troubles you, I would head back to Midgard today."

If the Allfather gave any indication of displeasure at his insistence on returning to the mortals, he did not show it. Instead, he waved a hand at his son, who inclined his head and left the hall, his heavy footsteps echoing. Odin sighed again, he felt a soul deep weariness. He had thought that after apprehending the trickster there would be some semblance of peace and normality. But there was a sinister quality to the peace shrouding the nine realms. The king had thought that to end the actions of his wayward second son, but Thor had spoken to him of Loki controlling several mortals with the scepter like a puppeteer.

While Odin knew that any accomplished seidr-master, and Loki was far above that level, could influence the mind of another, Thor had described it differently. He had claimed that the mortal's eyes had changed in color, and that it required direct contact between the scepter and the victim's chest. As far as the Allfather knew, a _seidr-_ master's influence over another would not have changed he other's eye color, nor would it have been broken so easily with a mere physical blow. The scepter itself was yet another disturbing thought. He had never seen a weapon of the sort before, nor the power it contained within it. While Loki could be proficient with a spear, he normally preferred the use of his own daggers. From the moment he could hold a weapon, his youngest son had only relied on the weapons he chose as his.

Never had he witnessed his youngest claim another's weapon willingly. Even the gifts given to him for his coming of age had been altered by various enchantments to suit his needs. To hear Thor claim that Loki had willingly used the weapon and had not shown signs of having used his own daggers or his vast array of spells sent warning bells ringing in the old king's head. He sighed, he did not want to believe that Loki had been a puppet in another's hands, but with the evidences pointing to that undesirable conclusion, he feared the worst. Loki was strong enough to break out of enchantments of his mind, if there was one who could influence him to such a degree… Odin sighed, something had been set in motion by the events that happened while he was in Odinsleep and Thor was banished. He had inkling to who lurked in the void, but he refused to acknowledge the thought. It felt like the calm before the storm, except this time he did not know if Asgard would survive the storm on the horizon.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or Marvel

_Alaska_

Percy strolled to the metal dome, nodding to the guards at the entrance as they stepped back, his sword sheathed in its scabbard strapped to his back. As he walked through the compound, people moved out of his path with their heads bowed down, unable to withstand the cold, emotionless mask he wore. He turned the corner, swiping his card before entering his room. He placed his sword on his bed and quickly stripped off his clothes, changing into a fresh set. He threw his clothes into the laundry chute and picked up his sword, making his way quickly to the lab on the top floor. As he neared the lab, he heard an obnoxious voice echoing down the hallway. His stride faltered for a moment, mouth twisted in annoyance when he realized who exactly S.H.I.E.L.D had called in to analyse the readings. Percy sighed, _best to get this over and done with,_ he thought, moving to enter the code that would allow him entrance into the lab.

"Mr. Stark, I wasn't aware that Director Fury had sent you in." he drawled, stepping into the lab and nodding at a meek looking Bruce. Tony Stark grinned at the deadpan voice emanating from one of SHIELD's finest agents. "Agent! How nice of you to join us! I was beginning to think that you weren't coming down from that mountain of yours."

Percy felt his eye twitch in irritation as he scowled, "It's Agent Jackson Stark, its not that hard to remember. And it's a glacier, not a mountain."

Tony shrugged, eyes never leaving the screen in front of him, "Big, tall thingy which is hard to climb? Definitely a mountain."

Percy scowled even more, deciding to ignore the billionaire genius, he turned to Bruce Banner, "Doctor", he said, nodding to him, "What's your conclusion?" Bruce nodded back, drawing his hand across the screen to pull up a series of readings. "Well, as far as I can tell, there are traces of gamma radiation in the atmosphere, which I suppose is what was sent here for-"

"But gamma radiation isn't the only surprising thing, it's the fact that the energy readings are somewhat similar to, well, New York."

Percy turned around to see Tony staring at him, a serious expression on his face, and that alarmed him more than any word that came out of his mouth because Tony Stark was never _ever_ serious unless something drastic was about to happen. And judging from to uncomfortable weight that had settled in his stomach, he was not going to like this drastic event one bit.

He glanced from Bruce Banner to Tony Stark, " _What do you mean by 'somewhat similar to New York_ '?" he hissed, "Is there another portal opening above us anytime soon?" The two scientists shared a look, Bruce clearing his throat awkwardly, "We don't think that a portal is going to open, at least, not one like New York-"

"But one could open nonetheless?" Percy demanded.

The bespectacled scientist looked uncomfortable, "Well, in theory. We're comparing the readings taken when the Tesseract opened the portal in the SHIELD base, and the one which opened in New York. The patterns of the energy spikes are similar, but this one isn't as high, it's more of a fluctuation of energy, but the readings are not in the high range."

"Yet." Percy stared at the two geniuses, " Its not in the high range yet. Right?"

"No it isn't," Tony agreed, "And we're trying to prevent it from climbing higher." He shifted over to another corner of the lab, tinkering with the objects on the table as he spoke, "I would be jumping like a kid on a sugar rush by now but even I don't wanna deal with another…incident. Like New York."He said, voice devoid of any emotion.

Percy chose not to comment on his tone, choosing instead to walk over to where the genus was tinkering with a device. "What are you making?" He asked. Tony glanced at him briefly, "This is the baby that will save us if a portal ever decides to open!" he grinned. Percy stared at him, contemplating the consequences of decking the billionaire before deciding it wasn't worth it. He turned to the other, saner scientist in the room. "Translation?" he asked. Bruce chuckled, "its sort of an EMP device."

"EMP device? What for?"

Tony shook his head, giving a mock hurt look, "Kid, you really need to brush up on your science, the portal is made up of several energy wavelengths, so we're creating this baby," he gestured to the hunk of metal sitting on the table, "to disrupt the wavelengths such that the portal will close."

Percy looked at the metal lump, raising an unimpressed eyebrow, "It's a prototype…" Tony amended.

Percy rolled his eyes, "so this….thing… is supposed to be able to close a portal?"

"Well, not so much close as a forced shut down of the portal." Bruce said, "by disrupting the wavelengths, we're basically destroying the stability of the portal, kind of like what Natasha did in New York.."

Percy's eyes flashed, "Well, I suppose looking at readings all day would be boring, finish that thing quickly, I have a feeling we're going to need it sooner than we think."

Tony grinned, mimicking a flourishing bow, "Aye Aye captain!", ignoring the way Percy's scowl deepened as he marched out of the room.

As soon as the doors hissed shut, Bruce whirled around and leveled Tony with a heavy stare, "Tony, you shouldn't pick on him so much" he scolded, "he's just doing his job."

Tony waved his hand at Bruce, "Awww, but he's so fun to tease! Do you even see how his face contorts?"

"Tony…"

Tony turned to Bruce, putting down his wrench, "It's for his good Bruce, he needs to lighten up. I mean, you weren't there, well you were, but it was the Hulk, not you, so you probably won't remember anyway-"

"Tony" Bruce interrupted. "Anyway, that's not the point, the point is that you didn't see him, that day, you didn't see how he looked like. We all did, well, except for point break cause he was with his psycho little brother."

Tony turned fully to look at Bruce, "Have you ever see him smile?". "And that was rhetoric, don't answer that." He said, when Bruce opened his mouth. "He hasn't, that's why. In three years, he hasn't smiled a genuine smile Bruce. And that scares me because even Tasha has cracked a smile."

Bruce looked down, he had been introduced officially to the boy before, and had taken a liking to him if only for the fact that he didn't care about the other guy. He frowned down at his work, Tony's impromptu speech running through his head.

* * *

Percy marched out of the lab, the Canadians had complained of random power surges and shortages a few weeks before that left cities dark, only for the power to come back online by itself a few minutes later. Television screens would suddenly fizz and signals would be lost or scrambled. Any electronic device would suddenly stop working for a while, before it started working again. While this normally wouldn't have been under SHIELD's jurisdiction, they had managed to detect energy readings and slight traces of gamma radiation that were similar to the ones that the Tesseract gave off in the SHIELD base, and it was enough to prompt Fury to send in a couple of SHIELD agents and lab technicians. They used the spectrometers that Doctor Banner had calibrated aboard the Helicarrier to try to pinpoint the origin of the energy spikes, which led them to set up a base at the foot of the glacier, where the ground was stable and the scientists could get readings. Since there were no random aliens rampaging around, the Avengers weren't called in. Barton and Romanov were on separate missions, and Fury needed a high level agent to oversee the entire project. Hill was out of the question, and Coulson was still confined to desk jobs, and would probably stay that way if Fury had his way. So, that left Percy, who knew about the Avengers and everything related to them because he was at ground zero, the only high ranking agent left who had clearance to be involved in such _extraterrestrial_ happenings. _Not that he minded_ , he mused, _this mission was actually quite refreshing._ He hadn't been to Alaska in about four years and he was enjoying his time in the icy landscape. Well, more so than the rest of the base, who constantly complained about the perpetual cold. That, and the fact that being on the Helicarrier scared him. It was hard to get rid of the deep rooted fear that you were going to be struck down by lightning if you ever went higher than the height a Pegasus could take you. _Of course_ , he thought bitterly, _it's not as though Zeus had any reason to zap him into oblivion anymore._ He shook his head, not wanting to think of the past, walking to the lone room in the basement. He placed a hand on the scanner, waiting for the cheerful _beep_ of the machine to signal his entrance.

He waved away the salutes of the guards, facing the petite scientist at the corner of the room. "Riley, report."

The girl looked up at him, "Sir, there is practically nothing to report, all our results are inconclusive."

He narrowed his eyes, "How so?"

She chewed on her lip, "its like the problem which was reported that drew our attention sir, one minute everything is working fine, the next minute, any electronic devices stop working. Any scanners we have go haywire. All we can get is what we've already predetermined, that that thing is causing all of these problems."

Percy frowned thoughtfully, glancing at the blood red liquid swirling behind the glass like barrier at the back of the lab. He turned back to the scientist, "You haven't tried taking samples of the liquid? And where are the other two anyway?"

"Edward and Michael are upstairs, said they'd grab something to eat, they haven't had a proper meal since the day before." She said.

"The samples?" Percy prompted.

Riley wrung her hands nervously, "We couldn't get any samples sir. Every time we tried to get near that thing…" she waved her hand at the barrier as if asking him to try going near it. Percy frowned, walking over to the glass-like barrier, placing his palm on it. The second he did that though, the swirling red liquid struck out viciously, slamming into the barrier with such force that hairline fractures could be seen on it. He flinched black reflexively, hand coming up to grip the hilt of his sword before instinctively recognizing that there was no danger. He looked at the fractures, narrowing his eyes as they smoothed over again. The door hissed open to reveal two male scientists who looked completely flustered, as if they had ran the whole way down from the cafeteria, _which,_ Percy thought, _they probably had._ One of the men piped up, "Oh god, we're sorry sir! Its just, we wanted to take a short break-" Percy waved down their concerns, choosing instead to turn to Riley, "Explain this." He demanded.

"It's what I meant sir, we can't take any samples because we can't get near it. I know that you've altered the barrier to allow us to get in but we can't even get close to that barrier. You touching it was the closest its allowed." She said.

Percy frowned thoughtfully, glancing at the sinister liquid twisting and coiling like a snake behind the barrier. He could almost hear it screaming, feel the power held within the innocuous form of a liquid. He turned to the three scientists, "Continue your scans, it's not possible that nothing can be done." The three of them looked uncertainly at each other, but not daring to disobey him, nodded their assent. He left the lab, trying so very hard to resist the siren call of the well of power floating behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or Marvel

_Alaska_

Percy entered the meeting room, acknowledging the communications officer's grunt of "Director Fury's on the line sir" and stepped inside, the doors sliding shut behind him to give him a semblance of privacy. As soon as he stepped in, the screen flickered to life, displaying the head of SHIELD in all his eye-patched glory. "Sir," he saluted. Fury nodded, gesturing for him to be at ease. "Agent Jackson," he barked, "Report."

"Sir," he began, "Other than the sudden energy spike that occurred at 2045 hours yesterday, there have been no further changes of interest. Stark and Banner are constructing a device that would theoretically allow them to shut down a portal. Well," he amended, "Stark is doing the constructing; Banner is keeping an eye on the reading."

Fury nodded, looking marginally pleased that things were going smoothly for once. He fixed his lone eye on the raven haired boy, "And the power source?" Percy straightened at that, "Sir, our scientists have found nothing inconclusive. The…power, it disrupts electronic devices sporadically, so they can't get regular readings. That, and they can't even go near it."

"Why not?" Fury asked. "Because it retaliates. That thing seems to have a mind on its own sir. It lashes out at anyone who goes near it. It's a good thing that we have that barrier to prevent any direct contact, but it makes getting samples about near impossible." Percy watched as Fury's face hardened, a sign that he was well, furiously contemplating this turn of events, deciding not to tell Fury about how the power called to him.

"Continue to monitor the situation agent Jackson, see if you can find a way to transport the power."

"Sir, that thing attacks anyone who goes near it." Percy replied, sarcasm lacing his words.

Fury just leaned back and smirked, "Well then Agent, I suppose you'll have to come up with a plan then."

Percy scowled, hating the way Fury always expected him to do something impossible like transporting a liquid that refuses to get close to anyone. He sighed, "Yes sir. I'll try my best, no promises tho-" he was thrown against the table as the whole base shook from the force of the explosion. Fury tensed, "What's going on over there Agent?" Percy hissed, slamming the door open, "What the Had-hell is going on here?!" he bellowed, taking in the alarm blaring and the SHIELD agents frantically running around. "Sir," one of them stopped, "we're under attack!" Percy snarled, "I know that, I'm asking who?"

Another agent stopped, "It seems to be the Chitauri sir! A portal has opened! They're infiltrating the base!" Percy's eyes widened, he cursed and turned to the communications officer who was contacting SHIELD headquarters for reinforcement. "Connect the director to my transmitter, I need mobility, and get me Stark and Banner's lab now!"

He didn't wait for the guy's nod of assent, knowing that he would get it done soon. Sure enough, a few seconds later, he heard the director's furious hissing in his ear. "Jackson, report now!" "Sir," he said, gritting his teeth as he ran down the hallways, "The Chitauri are back, they opened a damn portal here. I have no idea where it is but my guess is that they want what's in the basement. I guess I'll get my chance to try transporting that damn thing."

Percy sprinted down the hallways, forgoing the lift and taking the stairs two at a time. When he reached the basement, he slowed, pulling his gun from its holster. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't stupid, and if his suspicions were correct, then the Chitauri would be on this level. He crept down the hallway, the silence permeating the level making him twitch in discomfort. He rounded the corner, his gun swinging in front of him. He grimaced when he saw the bodies of the two guards, both with their throats slashed open, their blood painting the ground red. He inched his way closer to the broken remains of the metal door, as silent as a ghost. He could hear the Chitauri's chittering and he leaned carefully around the door, peering into the lab.

What he saw horrified him, Edward and Michael lay in different pieces scattered across the room, while Riley had a gaping hole in her chest, her face frozen in an eternal scream. He felt cold fury rush through him and stepped into the room, delighting in the way the Chitauri all snapped their guns towards him. _Two in front, another two at the back, and one in the middle,_ he counted silently, taking in their formation and the way the two at the back were attempting to drill through the barrier. _Oh they won't be getting through that,_ he grinned inwardly, _not while I'm here._ The impromptu Mexican standoff was getting old quickly, and he cleared his throat, "If you would please be so kind as to step away from the barrier, you can have a quick death." The Chitauri in the middle, clearly the leader of this rag tag group stepped forward, hissing, "Foolish mortal, the power gem belongs to our master! Perhaps if _you_ left, we could spare your pathetic life."

Percy remained silent for a moment, before shooting the Chitauri between the eyes and rolling to avoid the energy blast that was aimed at his head. He crouched and swiped a leg at the nearest Chitauri, knocking the rifle out of its hand and whirled around, shooting the other one in the neck. He felt clawed hands grab at his shoulders and he slammed his elbow back, grinning at the sound of bones snapping. The Chitauri screeched in pain and Percy took advantage of the opening, driving his fist into the creature's throat, leaving it to collapse to the floor, gurgling noises resounding in the room. He watched the last two Chitauri through narrowed eyes, who watched him warily, clearly realizing that they had underestimated him before. He bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile and rushed forward, sliding under their rifles, kicking one of them in the back of the knee and lashing out at the other. He slid his knife out and stabbed the Chitauri in the neck, turning around to slash at the remaining Chitauri only to find it trying to escape. He snarled, flipping the dagger and flung it, the blade sinking easily into the base of its head. He breathed heavily, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he stared at the bodies scattered around him. He turned to the barrier, placing his hand on it and closed his eyes. He willed the ice to melt, to change its state to that of a liquid, and felt satisfaction when there was a tugging feeling in his gut and the water bended to his will. He was glad, that of everything that had happened in the last three years, the ability to manipulate water had not left him. It was a small comfort to him and it gave him a sense of familiarity. The red liquid hovered impossibly in the air, twisting and coiling, as if beckoning Percy to step closer. He gritted his teeth, unsure as to how he was supposed to transport a floating red liquid that somehow managed to give off an evil vibe without the use of any facial expression. He reached a hand toward the liquid, cursing as it struck his wrist and trying again. After the fifth time the liquid had struck at him, this time his gun, he snarled, "For Hades' sake! Why can't you come in a more convenient form like something that I can actually hold?!" Almost immediately, the liquid shuddered and collapsed into itself, taking the form of a solid red bracelet. Percy stared at the bracelet in surprise. _Are you kidding me?_ He thought, _Well then, beggars can't be choosers._ He straightened, and cautiously reached out a hand. When nothing happened, he picked the bracelet up, putting it around his hand. He placed a hand to his ear, "I have retrieved the power source sir." He turned and ran out of the lab, cursing under his breath as he realized that he had to climb all the way to the top level.

* * *

Tony and Bruce had just finished building the device and were n the process of configuring it when the alarm blared, startling the both of them. "Shit, shit shit!" Tony cursed, "What the fuck is going on out there? JARVIS?" _Sir, it would seem that the SHIELD base has been infiltrated by the Chitauri._ The disembodied voice piped up from Tony's Starkphone. "Shit." Tony cursed once more, "Bruce, we gotta get outta here. If they're in here…" "Then there's a portal out there which can be shut down." Bruce finished for him. "But we have to configure this thing first, otherwise it wouldn't do any-"

"Stark!" A familiar voice came over the intercom, causing the two scientists turning to look up at the ceiling instinctively. "Kid?" Tony asked incredulously, grinning as he heard the kid's grumble. "Stark, now's not the time for games, how's that device coming along?" They could hear him panting over the intercom, Tony answered, "Uh, we just finished it-"

"Great!" Percy exclaimed, "stay there, and _do not_ move until I get there."

"Kid, we're not done configuring the thing."

Percy fell silent, then muttered, "Just, hurry up."

Tony and Bruce looked at each other, then scrambled for the device, Tony cursing himself for not bringing his suit. "This, is why I always make a suit that's portable! But no, I had to listen to Fury this once and not bring the suit now didn't I?"

"Come on Tony, there are guns here… I think." Bruce said, looking around the lab, spotting the axe at the far end, near the fire extinguisher. He narrowed his eyes, rushing over to it just as the door to the lab blew open.

"Shit!" Tony cursed, looking up to see the creatures that had appeared in his dreams step into the lab. His eyes widened, and he grabbed the device off the table, kicking forward with all his strength, flipping the table and sending it crashing into the Chitauri. They fell down like dominoes, but it didn't hinder them for long, and they scrambled up, raising their rifles. Tony cursed for the umpteenth time that day, scrambling backwards while trying to configure the device with one hand. He didn't know where Bruce had disappeared to, but he could only hope that the Chitauri hadn't found him yet. This was more than he could say for himself as a Chitauri jumped over the overturned table and landed in front of him.

Bruce felt the door exploding more than he saw it, but he concentrated on his task anyway, praying fervently that Tony would be able to keep out of the Chitauri's way. He took the extinguisher and slammed it against the glass case, satisfaction running through him as t shattered. He heaved the axe out of the case turning around just in time to slam the blade into the throat of a Chitauri. He recoiled in horror as the alien gurgled and fell to the floor, blood gushing out from its open throat. Bruce hefted the axe, realizing how wholly unprepared for this he was, it was usually the other guy who took care of such situations, and since he couldn't remember anything that happened, he never bothered to think about how killing someone- _something_ \- with his bare hands felt like. He steeled himself, and hacked his way through the Chitauri, pushing all thoughts to the back of his mind, only wanting to make sure that Tony was safe. He ducked under a stray blast, swinging his axe up into the alien's chin and through its head. His stomach heaved at the sight of alien brains scattered on the floor, and he looked up, only to stop short in horror at the sight of a Chitauri looming over Tony. He couldn't get to him in time, and the axe was too heavy to throw. All he could do was watch as the alien fired down at one helpless Tony Stark.

* * *

Percy sprinted as fast as he could from the basement lab, the cold weight on his left wrist a reminder of what the Chitauri had came here for. He passed by numerous bodes, and hoped that the majority of the base had managed to evacuate. He raced past empty labs and rooms, snapping the neck of any Chitauri who had the gall to try and stop him. He skidded to a stop when a group of Chitauri blocked his way, hissing and waving their rifles at him. He snarled, rushing at them and doing a baseball slide, whipping his sword to the side, slashing at their legs. He rolled and stood up, twisting his body to avoid the bladed end of the rifle, his sword striking forward like a serpent, taking the alien's head off in one move. He didn't stop there, moving to stab another chitauri in the chest, slashing the throat of another and snapping the neck of a third. He blew through them like a storm, and stood amongst a pile of corpses. He cursed, this was wasting precious minutes, and he needed to get to where Stark and Banner were _fast_.

He ran up, coming to a stop at the lab, stopping short at the sight of a chitauri standing above Tony stark. He hissed, and threw his sword directly at the chitauri's hand. The Olympian silver blade cut through its hand like a knife through butter, causing its shot to go wild and miss the genius scientist by mere inches. The chitauri shrieked in pain, but was abruptly cut off when Percy sliced its head off. He picked up the sword and hacked at the other chitauri, becoming a whirlwind of death in the lab. Silence descended on the lab suddenly, the only sounds left were the dying calls of the aliens. Tony and Bruce gaped at him, the former placing his hand over his still furiously pumping heart at his close shave with death. He had flirted with death before, but that was the closest he had ever come to dying. Almost on par with the palladium incident. He could still feel the heat of the blast for goodness sake!  
Percy stood motionless in the lab, taking in Bruce's defensive-sloppy, but still defensive- stance and Tony's slumped form. "Let's go!" He barked, "We need to shut down the portal, they're swarming into the base. I've gotten everyone to evacuate already, but we still need to close that thing. It's only a matter of time before they send the fliers."

The two scientists nodded, faces grim. Tony picked himself and the device up. "Come on, we're going on an adventure!" he grinned.

Percy scowled, "Scaling a glacier is not an adventure Stark." He said, walking out of the lab, "And stop quoting the Hobbit!"

* * *

The three of them made their way quickly down the base, "We can't just walk out the front door, there's too many of them there." Percy said, as they reached the ground level. "There's an exit at the other side. We need to circle round and come back to the front though."

"Why?" Bruce asked.

"Because, the front is the only place where you both can climb up. I can easily get up the glacier by myself, but I have no idea how to work that device." Percy replied. "Let's go." He said, darting forward. They weaved through the base, sneaking around like ninjas, if ninjas made such loud noises when sneaking around that is. They made it to the other exit without incident, except for when Bruce and Tony nearly retched at the sight of the torn up bodies scattered on the floor. Percy took the lead once more when they were outside, the cold Alaskan air biting into their skin. He ran up the man made slope that led to the clearing where he was practicing just that morning. He scaled the glacier easily, having some aquatic powers usually helped, but the other two were not so graceful. He helped them up the glacier, glancing back at the base. He tensed when he saw the chitauri gesturing in their direction, "We've been spotted," he said, "how close do you need to get to that thing?"

Bruce replied, "Probably as close as possible, this is a prototype, and has never gone through the testing stage so we don't know how far the reach is."

"Better to play it safe kid." Tony said, grin still fixed on his face.

Percy twitched at that, but refrained from commenting, he looked at the mass of chitauri scaling the glacier and made a decision. "Doctor Banner, Stark, at the far end of the clearing, there's another slope that leads upwards, that should take you close enough to the portal. I will hold off the chitauri for as long as I can, but speed is of essence." He glanced at the portal above their heads, shivering slightly at the void it led to. The two scientists opened their mouth to protest, but he cut them off, "We cannot afford to slowly make our way up, they would catch up to us soon enough, now go!"

With one last glance, and a "Stay alive kid" from Tony, they ran up the slope and disappeared from view. Almost as soon as they were out of sight, Percy held his palm out, parallel to the ground, feeling a tug in his gut as a wall of ice rose of behind the two geniuses. He heard the horde of chitauri stampeding their way up the glacier and drew his sword and waited for them to appear. As soon as they did, they swarmed around him, surrounding him on every side. One lone chitauri stepped forward, its armor slightly different from the rest. Instead of several plates of armor covering its body, it had several additional designs, foot long spikes extended from its shoulders and its elbows. _Damn,_ Percy thought, _that's designed for close combat._ The lead chitauri's weapon was also different, it seemed more like a spear than a rifle, except that it was double bladed, and had serrated ends. The lead alien saw him staring at his outfit, and grinned maliciously, "Do you like it little Halfling?" grin widening at Percy's slight flinch, "I wore it especially for you Perseus Jackson." The chitauri hissed, circling slowly around Percy. He tightened his grip on his sword, "How do you know my name?" The chitauri commander threw his head back and laughed raucously, "There is no one who does not know of the fallen hero, _Perseus._ "

Percy narrowed his eyes, filing the information away for later use, he spun his sword, relishing in the defensive stance it sent the aliens into, "This is a little unfair isn't it, it's like what? Forty against one?"

The chitauri chuckled, a harsh sound that grated on his ears, "Oh, Halfling," it hissed, "We can fight you one at a time." Percy blinked, then laughed so loudly that it shocked the chitauri into raising their weapons. "Oh, I didn't mean unfair for me, I meant that it was unfair for you." The chitauri bristled at that, and the commander snarled, "Kill him!"

Percy just bared his teeth, body tensed in anticipation as adrenaline rushed through his veins. He surged forward and met the chitauri's attack head on.

* * *

"Oh god," Tony huffed, "I am never _ever_ going hiking ever again."

Bruce just smiled, looking over his shoulder nervously as sounds of battle drifted up. "This isn't the same as hiking Tony."

"We are climbing a mountain. Glacier. Whatever. That's the same as hiking."

Bruce didn't answer, stumbling into the clearing that Percy had told them about. "Woah." Tony said, gaping at the sheer beauty of the clearing before them. "Come on," Bruce said, "We don't have time to stop and smell the roses." Tony followed him, "Its stop and appreciate the ice Bruce."

He set the device down, glancing up at the portal every so often. Bruce helped him finish configuring the device. When it was done, they both nodded to each other, "Well," Tony drawled, "let's see if this baby works."

They aimed the device in the portal's direction and fired.

* * *

A deep rumbling sound reverberated around the clearing causing the chitauri to pause in their attack. Percy took advantage of this and lopped off his opponent's head before turning around. "Well," he said, smirking lightly at the sight of the collapsing portal "seems like backup isn't going to arrive anytime soon." The chitauri commander snarled in response, bringing his double edged blade to collide with Percy's Olympian silver one. It twisted and struck out with its elbow, Percy moving his head to the side at the last minute to avoid having his eye gouged out. He thrust forward, pushing the chitauri off balance and angled his sword downwards to slash at the chiaturi's chest. A deep cut appeared in its armor and it roared n pain, flinging Percy away from it. Percy rolled with the momentum, hissing slightly at the pain, wondering if he had bruised a few ribs. He knelt in position watching the chitauri commander, the only alien left alive in the clearing. He placed his hands on the ice, concentrating. Spikes made of ice flew up, causing the chitauri to move to dodge or get impaled. Percy ran towards the chitauri commander, feinting to the right and stabbing at the chitauri's left flank. He felt the sword tear into flesh and the chitauri's scream of anger and pain resounded in his ears.

He couldn't move fast enough however, as the chitauri slammed its elbow into his shoulder. White hot pain rushed through his body as the spike drove through his shoulder, cutting through flesh and muscle. He gritted his teeth against the pain, locking his knees around his opponent's leg and pulled. They landed on the icy floor, the cold jarring Percy out of his pain filled haze, and he rolled over the chitauri, cracking its head against the ice repeatedly. He then backed up, clasping a hand over his left shoulder, trying to stem the blood flow. The chitauri commander rolled to a kneeling position and swept at Percy. He jumped, and in that split second. The commander brought his blade towards Percy's neck. He blocked the blow, his silver sword standing between him and certain death, and he formed an ice dagger in his left hand, bringing it up to slam it into the chitauri commander's throat. He watched as its eyes lit up in surprise, before dimming, the body slumping to the ground as Percy yanked out the dagger with a loud _squelch_. He breathed heavily, looking around the now bloodied clearing and felt a prick of satisfaction at the bodies piled up around him. His ear piece crackled to life in his ear, "Sir!" Agent Johnson's voice sounded in his ear, "The base has been evacuated completely, orders sir?"

Percy walked to the edge and scanned the base, his powers allowing him to feel that there were still life forms in the base. "Agent Johnson, keep everyone out of range."

He switched the comm. to contact Fury, hearing Stark and Banner stumble into the clearing behind him, the ice wall he put up having been destroyed by one too many chitauri blasts. "The base has been cleared sir, orders?" the comm. in his ear remained silent for a moment, "Destroy the base."

Stark was chattering away nonstop, and as they drew closer, he heard the doctor's gasp at the sight of his shoulder. "Percy, you're injured! I need to-"

"Not now." Percy replied. He glanced at the slab of ice beside him, then down at the base again, Tony continued speaking, "Did you see the portal? It collapsed exactly like the one in New York! Think it has something to do with the scepter too?"

Percy tuned out the one sided conversation. He nodded to himself, the distance should be enough to cause a chain reaction. Unexpectedly, he slammed his sword into the slab of ice beside him, twisting it slightly. The two scientists jumped at the sudden action.

"Uh," Tony began, "I know you have an adrenaline rush but-"

He was cut off by an ominous sounding crack. The world stilled for a moment, the slab of ice collapsed, bringing an entire portion of the glacier with it. The pseudo avalanche bore down on the base, crushing it completely. The sudden silence that followed was deafening, and awkward. Bruce gaped at where the base used to be, glancing between Percy and the destroyed base. "How…?" he stammered.

Percy turned to him, allowing a full smirk to play on his lips, "Well doctor, you didn't think that Fury sent me here just to oversee things did you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or PJO, unfortunately.

The aftermath was, to Tony at least, extremely anticlimactic. After all that excitement of running through the exploding base and up a mountain- _oops, glacier_ \- and closing a portal to prevent another alien invasion, sitting in a plane- _one that wasn't even his_ \- on the way back to New York was just _so boring._ Tony sighed again. And got whacked over the head as a result of it. "Ow!" he whined, "What'd you do that for?" Bruce glared at him, "You've been sighing non-stop for the past ten minutes Tony. It's getting annoying." Tony just pouted at him. Sitting across him, Percy opened an eye to glare at him, entire body wracked with tension as distant sounds of thunder rumbled in the sky.

Tony leered at him, "Scared of a little storm?" parroting his taunt towards one god of mischief several years back. Percy opened both eyes and turned his infamous death glare on Tony, making the man flinch slightly. Tony sighed, _again_ , when Percy went back to sleep. He took out his Starkpad and fiddled with it, adding and removing certain designs to the device that had shut down the portal. He couldn't wait to get back to his lab, there was no doubt that he had been practically useless in Alaska without his suit, and he didn't want that to happen again.

Of all the avengers, he was the only one who was vulnerable outside of his armor. Steve had his super soldier serum, Clint and Natasha were assassins, their bodies were their weapons. Thor was nearly indestructible and Bruce had the Hulk, who _was_ indestructible. That left him, Iron Man, with a suit that far surpassed any other technology on Earth. He could fly faster than Mach 2 in the suit, but without it? He couldn't kill like Clint and Natasha, and he didn't have the strength to deliver a critical hit like Steve could and he couldn't spontaneously change into some rage monster that no weapon could hurt. It all came down to the suit, and if he hadn't developed that bracelet that allowed JARVIS to connect the suit to him, Loki would have killed him long ago. That left only one option, he had to start training. Physically. he had done boxing in the past, but that was just a sport. he could be counted as fit, but he was nowhere near being able to fight bare handed. His pride stung at the admission that he was weak, but he furiously stomped the feeling down.

 _But trained by who?_ Tony wondered, _definitely not the assassins,_ he shuddered at the thought, _Natasha would kill him, Clint would be cackling away like some evil witch from Disney_. _Steve was too….overpowered. So was Thor. Bruce didn't even fight hand to hand._ He face-palmed mentally. That only left one person. And that person was sitting right opposite him and probably couldn't even stand him. Tony sighed again, earning yet another whack from Bruce.

* * *

Percy was halfway out of the quinjet as soon as it touched the ground, feeling more at ease with the ground underneath his feet. He stalked straight towards the director's office, blatantly ignoring Stark's shout of "Hey! You just gonna leave us here?"

He ignored the call from Bruce telling him to go to the infirmary, though his shoulder twitched at that, and instead walked briskly through the halls of the SHIELD base. They had rebuilt this base from the one Loki had destroyed when he'd arrived from Zeus knows where. He knocked twice on Fury's door, waiting for his grunt of acknowledgement before entering the room. As the door slid shot behind him, he straightened and focused on the dark skinned man before him. It wasn't easy to intimidate Percy Jackson, especially since he had faced down monsters, Titans, Gods, Primordials and hell itself. Yet, there was something about Nick Fury that made him feel less impulsive and rebellious. Fury stared at him, "Agent Jackson," he greeted cordially. "Sir." Percy said, inclining his head.

Fury gestured for him to continue. "As per your orders sir, the Alaskan base was destroyed. Agent Johnson informed me that there were thirty-four casualties. Of the thirty-four, three were scientists Riley Beckett, Edward Lu and Michael Debson, all of who were involved in the research of the power source, which, incidentally, is known as the power gem."

Fury tilted his head, "Power gem?"

Percy grimaced, "Yeah, the chitauri told me to hand it over to them, they called it 'the power gem'. I'm assuming that it was the gem's power that drew them there. Which, is kinda déjà vu."

Fury narrowed his eyes, "You mean like how the Tesseract attracted Loki and his band of aliens."

"Yes sir."

Fury nodded, turning away to glance at the screens on his desk. "Get the power gem to the lab then, we'll see if they have any luck. And get that shoulder of yours looked at, you're almost as bad as Barton when he's injured."

Percy recognized a dismissal when he saw one, but one thing made him hesitate. Fury saw his hesitation and asked, "Jackson?"

Percy shifted uncomfortably, "Sir, I really have no idea how to explain this other than it wasn't really my fault at all, well no, actually it was my fault, but I didn't mean to let things end up like this! Thing sat the base just happened so quickly and I didn't even have time to stop to think about what I was doing because the first priority was to evacuate the base and to shut down the portal to prevent more aliens from coming in-"

"Agent Jackson!" Fury interrupted, "You're rambling. Get to the point."

Percy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Uh well sir, you see, the uh, gem, is sorta stuck to me…"

Fury stared at him incredulously. "Excuse me?"

Percy sighed, "I didn't have a choice, I didn't know how to transport the thing so I just uh, talked to it. It became a sort of wristband and I put it on-"

"Excuse me," Fury interrupted, "Let me confirm this. You placed an unknown alien artifact which has been proven to be at least partially sentient and is prone to attacking people who get too close and just magically transformed at your command to a transportable form on your bare arm?"

Percy shifted, "Well," he said, "when you put it like that, it does sound stupid."

Fury just glared at him.

Percy raised his hands in defense, "Not my fault, we were kind of being attacked. And that's the problem now, I can't remove the thing."

"Can't remove it." Fury stated, voice a complete deadpan.

"Yeah… I tried, on the plane, but it won't come off. Its well, stuck."

Fury just stared disbelievingly at him for a few moments, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like 'How do I always get involved in these kind of stuff', then sighed loudly and pinched his nose. "Fine, that's going to be a problem. But if you worked with the two brightest minds this planet has to offer, we should be able to get it off you."

Percy's eyes widened, "Woah wait wait wait. You're sending me to Stark and Banner?" Percy was cursing internally, Banner he didn't mind, the guy was actually quite nice, after you got over the fact that if you made him angry he would beat you into a pulp. Stark on the other hand, the man was annoying and arrogant. He reminded him of Heracles, without the brute strength and with the genius intellect. And thinking of Heracles led to him thinking of Zoe…

"I'm not sending you to Stark and Banner; I'm sending you to the Avengers tower."

"Sir" Percy protested, "You didn't even want them to know that this artifact existed, and now you want to introduce it to the entire team?"

"There's been a change of plans Agent Jackson, the artifact was meant to be a solo research project, but it's attracted the chitauri. If you hadn't gotten there in time, that thing would already be in their hands and I don't want a repeat of New York." Fury said, nodding towards the blood red bracelet encircling his wrist. "I didn't want to involve the team, but they're the best option. Stark and Banner would be able to study it and as much as I hate to admit it, Stark's a genius, he'd be able to find a way to remove it. And study it. If the chitauri try to invade again, the team's the best option we've got of defeating them again. Got it?"

Percy scowled, understanding the rationale behind the director's orders but not liking it all the same. He nodded.  
"You won't be joining the Avengers, you're not part of the team. If and when they are needed, I don't expect you to join them in battle."  
Percy snorted, "I'd rather keep out of the camera's range sir."

He knew better than to fight with the avengers, even though it pained him to not be able to defend his home city. The Avengers were already in the spotlight. There were numerous press conferences, advertisements, fan made websites and most of their skirmishes went on the news. If he battled alongside the avengers, he'd be caught on camera. And that was the last thing he wanted. Director Fury nodded, "Go find Stark and Banner, they should be in the infirmary, which you should be in. I will inform Romanov that they are to wait for you"

Percy nodded, still scowling at the prospect of being in the Avengers tower. It wasn't that they were bad people or anything, just... They were heroes, they saved people, and he didn't deserve to be among them. He sighed. Given Thor's inclination to address people by their title, he could only hope-and pray to whichever god or goddess out there who was listening- that he didn't call him the 'Hero of Olympus'. Percy groaned inwardly, how did he always end up in such situations?

* * *

After Percy had scampered off to who knew where, Tony and Bruce made their way slowly to the infirmary. They didn't really have any injuries. Just some bruises here and there and some minor scrapes from climbing up a glacier with bare hands. Nevertheless, they still walked towards the infirmary. Well, Bruce walked; Tony kept trying to escape back to his tower.

"But Bruce!" Tony whined, "I'm not even all that injured!"

"Tony," Bruce sighed, and "We've been climbing up a glacier. A glacier. Pure ice. It's customary to check for any signs of hypothermia."

"Well then why couldn't we do that in Alaska? Or on the jet?"

"Tony," Bruce said, getting exasperated with his friend's excuses, "the Alaskan base was destroyed, and the jet doesn't have the right equipment."

Tony just rolled his eyes. "I'm telling the world; I'm being dragged, forcefully, to the infirmary when I'm not even injured."

"Stop being such a drama queen Stark." A new voice injected.

"Oh wow," Tony drawled, "if it isn't Miss Katniss Everdeens herself."

Clint scowled and punched Tony in the arm, "Shut up tin man."

"Oh hey, hey. Don't insult the suit okay? Or I'll kick your ass."

Clint grinned, "With what? Those floppy arms of yours?"

Tony scowled. "Remind me again, who customizes your arrow heads?"

Clint widened his eyes, "You wouldn't!"

Tony leered at him, "Oh hell yes I would Legolas."

"Boys, enough fighting." Natasha said, coming up behind the guys, giving Bruce a small smile as she drew closer. "Wow, its like, the team's almost assembled. We only need Cap and Point break and we can get some shawarma!"

"Shut up Tony." Everyone said at once.

Tony placed his hand over his heart, "Oh, I'm hurt, I'm really really hurt guys." Natasha glared at him. "And uh girl." He added hastily.

"Get to the infirmary you two" Natasha said, "We'll wait for you at the launch pad." dragging Clint by the arm.

Bruce and Tony stepped into the infirmary, where they were subjected to various tests (read: tortures) and questions. Tony was getting tired of the entire interrogation: "do you feel any lingering cold?", "are there any parts of your body that feels numb?" And the best one, "do you feel okay?"  
He replied monotonously, "No. No. And no."

At the doctor's alarmed look, he rolled his eyes and said, "You're smothering me, I am so not okay with that. Its claustrophobic"  
He hopped out of the bed a second later ignoring the doctor's cry of "I'm not done yet!".Honestly, he appreciated a sexy nurse any day of the week but this was becoming too much. He sauntered over to where even Bruce was looking annoyed at their incessant badgering and brushing off any nurses' offers to help, claiming that "I'm a doctor as well, I do actually know my own body". Bruce noticed him and gave him a strained smile, which he returned fully.

He opened his mouth to speak when the sound of the door sliding open caught his attention. His grin widened as he saw one ruffled (and thoroughly annoyed) Percy Jackson standing in the doorway. The SHIELD doctors swarmed over him, delighted to have a new victim to torture, sorry, treat, and he laughed at the almost constipated look on the kid's face.

Percy scowled even more, he hated doctors with a passion, they reminded him of his inability to heal fast, unlike how he was able to do so in the past (which was just a lie, nothing but a lie). Nevertheless, he remained still as the doctors treated him. He refused the anesthetic, gesturing for the doctor to stitch his shoulder up quickly. The doctor hesitated, but when he turned his glare on, he quickly nodded and got the equipment ready. He scowled even more when he saw Stark wave cheekily at him as he and Banner walked out the infirmary. He sighed; holding still to prevent the doctor from stitching wrongly; hopefully, Fury had already informed Romanov that he was joining them on their flight back to the tower. he didn't really fancy taking a jet all by himself.

* * *

Tony grinned as he and Bruce walked towards the quinjet, spying Clint and Natasha waiting for them inside one of the jets. "Ohhhkay! Time for take off!" He said, clapping his hands together.

Natasha smirked, "Not so soon Stark, we have a guest."

Tony raised an eyebrow, "Oh really. Pray tell, who invited someone else to my party?"

Clint rolled his eyes, "It's not just your tower-" "Ah but I built it!" "-anymore stark. It's the called the Avengers tower. So technically, it's all of our parties."

"So, who is it?" Bruce asked tentatively.

Natasha opened her mouth to reply, "Agent Jackson."

"What?" Tony exclaimed, "Why?"

Natasha shrugged carelessly, "Fury didn't tell me."

"Oh great!" Tony huffed, throwing his hands up in the air, "Fury didn't tell Romanov. Fantastic, now we can all just sit around and wait for one of his secrets to pop up or blow up in our faces."

"Please Stark," another voice cut in, "Don't be such a drama queen. I am hardly one of Fury's secrets."

They all turned to see Percy climb up the quinjet, Tony's smile widening.  
"Well then, if it isn't iceman himself!"

Percy scowled, "I'm here on Director Fury's orders. I'm supposed to join you in the Avengers tower, something research related." He glanced in the direction of the pilots, "but classified."

The four seated avengers glanced at each other and nodded. Percy sat down and prepared himself for a long ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Never owned PJO or Marvel, never will

"So... Let me get this straight." Bruce said, pushing his glasses up from where they slid down his nose. "You made the alien object change its form with a mere command, then placed that very same object on your wrist and now it's stuck there with no clear way of removal." Percy sighed, Bruce was beginning to sound a lot like Fury, and two Fury's were never a good thing. He opened his mouth to answer when Tony cut in, "Woah, wait up a sec. Are we just gonna forget how SHIELD lied to us? Again?"

Percy frowned, "There was no need for the avengers to know about the artifact. It isn't an enemy that the Avengers needed to fight, nor was the world in any danger.

"No danger? Oh really, tell me what that whole fiasco in Alaska was then!" Tony shouted, "We were told that we only had to deal with suspicious readings, there was nothing, absolutely nothing, about an alien artifact. And SHIELD really thought that it was a good idea to keep this a secret? Remember what happened the last time SHIELD kept an alien object in its basement?"

Percy fell silent. The five avengers, the four that were on the jet plus Steve who was in the tower, were gathered in the living room of the Avengers tower. He knew that Stark had decided to convert his tower to house the avengers, so that it was easier for them to assemble if they were needed. For obvious reasons, Thor was absent, and despite what he'd faced down before, the scrutiny of the five avengers was unsettling. Especially Steve's disappointed gaze. He had been on the end of so many of those that it drew up painful memories of the past. He pushed those dark thoughts away and said, "I was under direct orders not to tell anyone except the lab techs that were supposed to study the artifact."

Tony scoffed, drawing attention to him, "Oh right, orders. I always pegged you as the rebellious type Jackson, never knew you'd follow so faithfully." He sneered. Percy stiffened, "Just because you don't follow orders yourself Stark," he hissed, "doesn't mean that others don't. Orders are there for a reason; not following them sometimes may result in unnecessary death. Don't judge me for following them when you disobey orders so quickly." Percy's glare intensified, suppressed memories threatening to rise up again.

"Yeah?" Tony challenged, "Tell me kid, how many people died in Alaska?" Percy's eyes flashed, and Tony saw the hurt in it for a moment, before it was replaced by a cold mask. He felt a pang of guilt, but his pride wouldn't allow him to apologize.

"Thirty-four casualties." Percy reported monotonously, "But it doesn't change the fact that I was acting under Director Fury's specific orders."

"Oh, because Fury's orders have had such a good track record so far." Tony drawled, sarcasm dripping off every word.

Percy opened his mouth to reply when Natasha cut in, "Stark, just give him a floor to live on."

"Excuse me?" Tony exclaimed, turning to her in surprise, "This is technically my tower-"

"And what do you have to lose Stark?" Natasha said, pinning him in place with her steely gaze. "You get to do tests on this artifact and you get to use your new suit if the chitauri comes. New toys for you Stark, isn't that what you've been complaining about? All you have to do is let him stay here. It's a win-win situation."

"But-" Tony protested. "You want to let him stay in a lab elsewhere where the people there won't be able to defend themselves?" Clint said.

Tony scowled, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle, "Fine, he can have the 86th floor."

Percy rolled his eyes, anger rushing through him, _I'm not some object to be carted around and_ _it's not like I want to stay in close proximity with Stark anyway,_ he clamped down on his anger though, it wouldn't do anyone good if he released his infamous anger. He nodded gratefully to Romanov and Barton as he rose from his seat, following Stark into the elevator.

"Right, JARVIS, take us to the 86th floor." Tony said. "Okay here's the layout, the 93rd floor was where we were just now, the living room, recreation room, the kitchen etcetera etcetera. The floor below that is my floor, and the floor below mine is Bruce's. It's reinforced so he can Hulk out if he wants to. The 90th floor s Thor's, because it's easier for me to reinforce the two levels at the same time so he wouldn't break anything with his freaky Asgardian strength. 89th is Cap's floor, 88th is Katniss and Nat's. 87th is the gym and sparring area."

The lift door opened just then and Tony gestured to the entire floor, "And this floor, mi amigo, is yours. If you need any customization of sorts, just tell me. If you need any help, ask JARVIS."

Percy looked around the vast expanse of the room. _Well,_ he amended; _it's more like an apartment. A really huge one._ He turned to Tony and raised an eyebrow, wondering at Stark's sudden change in attitude. Tony shifted uncomfortably under the intense stare, he felt like those emerald eyes could see right through his soul, "Look kid, I didn't really mean what I said just now…" At Percy's flat stare, he corrected himself, "Well, I meant it, but I didn't mean to insult you or hurt you or anything. Just that, every time SHIELD keeps something from us it doesn't end well."

Percy looked at him for a moment, causing Tony to fidget uncomfortably before nodding once. "Thanks." Percy said simply, turning to explore the room when Tony cleared his throat. He turned around, "Yes Stark?"

"Uh…" Tony began, scratching the back of his head, "I was kinda thinking… I can't just rely on my suit all the time and well… I was wondering if you could, spar with me or something." He held his breath, cursing himself for his lack of eloquence. Percy nearly smirked, if he didn't know how hard it was for Tony to ask him such a question. "Why not Agents Romanov or Barton?" he asked.

"Cause they're assassins who are more likely to kill me than train me. And I can't ask Steve either because he'd break my bones." Tony replied.

Percy, contemplated this request for awhile, there was no harm in teaching Stark how to defend himself, he would be strengthening the avengers. Besides, it wasn't like he had anything better to do other than train himself. Percy nodded, dismissing the feelings of nostalgia at having a student to train, "Fine, I'll train you, every Wednesday after dinner?"

Tony grinned, "Hell yeah! Thanks kid!"

Percy smirked, "Don't come crying to me when you wake up sore the next day."

Tony just laughed, "Oh, waking up sore is probably a constant for me." he winked, laughing again at Percy's disgusted expression and went back into the elevator.

Now alone, Percy glanced around the room, it was sparse, but looked surprisingly comfortable. The small living room had a flat screen television and a soft looking couch. He walked further in and found several rooms, shaking his head at Stark's blatant flaunting of his wealth. He opened the door to one room, taking in the large bed in the middle and the bathroom connected to the main room. He placed his duffel and sword on the bed. He wasn't able to grab everything from his room at SHIELD but he could always go back to get it. He looked at the sword on his bed, remembering how it came into his hands, allowing nostalgia to overtake his senses for a moment.

* * *

_Exhaustion seeped into his bones, he was dead tired. He had been running from Camp half-blood to Camp Jupiter and back again, trying to negotiate some semblance of treaty between the two camps. Octavian had been adamant that the Greeks were plotting destroy the Romans and had spread that rumor. Unfortunately, the Romans hadn't needed a lot of convincing because of Leo's attack on the camp. Granted, that wasn't exactly him, but the Romans didn't know that. They had been promised that the Greeks wouldn't attack but the exact opposite had happened. Percy sighed, the negotiations were tough and Octavian was annoying him to no end. He really wished he could just bash his head in or let someone else take over the diplomatic discussion, but the former would be counterproductive while the latter was not possible because he was the leader of the Greek camp and he wasn't about to let Octavian think that he was a coward._

_On top of that, he had to scramble around the world to bring half bloods back to camp depending on their parentage. He was understandably exhausted, and all he wanted to do was just get back home and crash for the next week or so. He stepped into the house, nearly panicking at the lack of people in it when he remembered suddenly that his mum and Paul were on their honeymoon. He smiled to himself, they had gotten married last summer, but Paul's schedule didn't allow him to take leave until recently. They'd gone to Europe, charitably sponsored by Hades as a gift. He'd been shocked that Hades, of all the gods, was willing to do that for a mortal. When asked, Hades had just replied, "I owe you a great deal Perseus, to provide for such a trip would hardly put a dent in the fortune I have amassed over the millennia." Percy had been stunned into silence, but had graciously accepted it. Hades was a surprisingly nice person to talk to after you got pass the bitter persona. Percy walked into his room and collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to undress himself. He was about to enter Morpheus' realm when he felt a presence in his room. He rolled out of bed and uncapped Anaklusmos in one fluid movement and swung it at the presence. The sound of his sword striking another hard object resounded in the room and he moved for another attack when- "Perseus stop!" Percy grinded to a halt, barely stopping his blade from reaching the other person. The haze of sleep lifted from his mind, "Dad?" he asked tentatively. "Honestly Percy," Poseidon's voice came again, "you could have taken my head off with that."_

_Percy moved to flick the light switch, seeing his father appear in the light with his trident in his hand. He blinked sleepily, "That wouldn't have taken your head off at all," he pointed out, "it wouldn't have been strong enough." Poseidon smiled, "Well, it's good to see that your reflexes are sharp, but that's not why I'm here."_

_Percy let the words sink into his mind before he groaned, crumpling to the floor, "If this is some kind of mission or quest, can it wait till morning? I'm dead tired dad."_

_Poseidon's brow furrowed in confusion, "Mission? No no no, I'm here to give you your birthday present!"_

_It was Percy's turn to frown in confusion, he turned to look at the calendar hanging on his wall and started in shock as he realized that today was August 18_ _th_ _. "Oh." He said._

_Poseidon shook his head, smiling softly at his son's absentmindedness. He leaned his trident against Percy's shelf and materialized a package from nowhere. He presented the package to Percy, who took it hesitantly. He gestured to the package, "Go on, open it." Poseidon said. Percy glanced at him, and unwrapped the package, gasping at the silver light that emanated from the package. He held it up, hands grasped tightly around the hilt of the sword. The silver sword reflected the light of the room and sat perfectly balanced in his hands. He looked at his father, who was smiling softly at him, "What material is this? I don't think I've ever seen it before…"Poseidon grinned, "You have actually, I believe you've seen Artemis in action before. Her knives are made of the same substance. Its called Olympian Silver. Like Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold, it can harm demigods, gods, monsters and anything Greek. On the other hand, it can affect more than the Greeks too."_

_Percy looked up in confusion, then alarm as the implications of the sentence sank in, "Wait, what? More than Greeks, you mean mortals? Why would I need a weapon that can harm mortals?" Poseidon just smiled pityingly at him, "You're always running around doing missions for us gods Percy, and I know you haven't ran into any mortals who might put up resistance while on said missions, but its only a matter of time before you do or the gods ask you to deal out a punishment to the guardians of their children."_

_Percy recoiled, "You're asking me to kill people?"_

_Poseidon looked down sadly, "Not every demigod child has a good family to take care of them Percy, some have neutral families, while others… they may be abused, beaten and humiliated. Some of the gods don't like it, and they would want you to deal with the mortals. I'd thought you'd prefer a sword over another weapon, like a gun." Poseidon chuckled, "Though a gun wouldn't do you any good, what with your horrible aim.  
_

_Percy stared at him in horror, not even laughing at his father's poor excuse for a joke, "So what, you gave me this as a birthday present and tell me that there are strings attached?"_

" _Percy-" Poseidon tried. "No!" Percy shouted, "How can you stand there and give me a present while saying that you want me to kill with it? You can take this back, I don't want it. I don't want something that requires me to do something immoral!"_

" _Perseus Jackson!" his father boomed, shocking him into silence. "You_ will _accept this gift, and you will use it if any of the gods desire for you to deal with their children's guardians accordingly."_

_Percy just stared in disbelief at his father who softened his features, "I'm sorry Percy, happy 19_ _th_ _birthday son." Poseidon said, vanishing into mist, leaving the smell of the ocean lingering in Percy's room._

_The sword became heavy in his hands all of a sudden, and he threw it in the far corner of his room, feeling hot tears of frustration burning behind his eyelids. He couldn't believe it. He had been elated at the thought that his father had remembered his birthday when even he himself had forgotten and had bothered to give him a present. In hindsight, he should have known that there was a reason for this sudden gift. The gods didn't give anything for free, he should have known that his own father was no different._

_He remembered the advice the nymph at the beach at Santa Monica gave him "beware the gifts". Granted, she wasn't referring to this, but the advice still stood anyway. It dawned on him that his father had never given him a present that had been solely for him, it was often to fulfill other purposes. The sand dollar he received on his sixteenth birthday had been used to bargain for the cooperation of the river gods to destroy Kronos' army, the armor he had received on his seventeenth birthday had been meant as an offering to be sacrificed to ask for help from a sentient and enormous sea creature* that had helped his father in his battle for Atlantis against Pontus, the primordial of the seas. He stared at the sword gleaming faintly in the moonlight at the far corner of his room for awhile longer, then collapsed on his bed and straight into Morpheus' realm. That night, his dreams were filled of blood and screaming and flashes of silver._

Percy shook himself out of the memory. The prospect of the sword and its intended purpose had been horrifying at that time. Now though, he was glad that he had decided to keep the sword. It certainly made things easier when he was in SHIELD. Despite everything that had happened, one thing remained constant. He still sucked at shooting at anything. He smirked at his self-deprecating thoughts, heading into the bathroom to catch a quick shower before JARVIS announced that it was time for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Never owned PJO or Marvel, probably won't start anytime soon.

They had all gone their separate ways when Tony brought Percy down to his room. Bruce had made a beeline for his level, green tingeing his skin. Natasha hoped that he made it to his level before the Hulk came out. Despite it having been three years since her first encounter with the Hulk, the thought of facing his wrath again instilled in her a primal fear that she could not shake off. She and Clint went down to their own level, contemplating whether or not they should get in some sparring time in the gym.

Steve went back to his own level, telling JARVIS, and he still felt awkward talking to thin air even though it had been several years, to deposit him on the 89th level. He sighed when he stepped out onto his level. He felt grateful that Stark had decided to convert his room into something that resembled the 40s in which he lived his prime in. Although, there were some discrepancies, like the flat screen television that was present in his bedroom.

Steve hadn't wanted that in his room, claiming that he didn't know how to use it, but Tony had overridden all is complaints and installed one of those in his room. Steve had just rolled his eyes and decided to let Tony be. Despite their initial head-butting on the Helicarrier, Steve had come to accept Tony's quirks as a part of him. It had taken a painful lesson for Steve to realize that Tony was nothing at all like his father, and that he should never have tried to force Tony to be like Howard.

The genius inventor had become a close friend to Steve, and Steve had learnt to enjoy his company, excepting when Tony was being a petulant child.

The soldier took out his sketchbook, flipping through the pages contemplatively. He had filled his original sketchbook, having to purchase another one. He had drawn the avengers, individually and as a group, of their downtime and of their battles, whichever came to him as inspiration first. 

He flicked through his new sketchbook, _hmm,_ he thought, _I have to add Percy into this…_

The captain frowned when he thought about their latest household addition. The boy, man really, had been hardened, more so than when he'd first saw him amidst the rubble that occupied New York. Steve didn't know what had happened to make such a young man become the hardened person that he was today, but he felt sad anyway, Percy should have had his whole life ahead of him, not stuck in SHIELD being an agent and risking his life for people who would never know*.

Steve had seen the look in Percy's eyes before, it was the same look that had been in the prisoner's eyes during the war*. He sighed, he hoped that being in the avengers tower would give him a chance to unwind and enjoy himself, even though this was not strictly a vacation.

His thoughts were interrupted as the alarm blared and JARVIS' voice sounded in his room, _Captain Rogers, Director Fury is on the line. He is requesting an immediate meeting._

Steve narrowed his eyes, rushing to change into his Captain America outfit and grabbing his shield as he ran up to the living room.

* * *

On the other floors, the other avengers had heard the alarm and JARVIS' announcement. In the lab, Tony cursed, placing his tools down and stalked to the living area. Bruce got out of his meditation trance and slowly made his way up, his 'suit' already ready within him. Natasha and Clint stopped their sparring session and quickly suited up. They both knew that Fury would not request for the avengers to assemble immediately unless it was a threat that required the presence of all six avengers. He, like the other avengers made their way up to the top most level where their briefings were usually held, much to Tony's dismay. Steve was the last to arrive at the living room, and he saw Natasha and Clint standing near the holographic screen of Fury, while Tony and Bruce huddled together near the couch. Steve nodded to the other avengers then turned to Fury, "Sir," he began, "What's our mission this time round?"

Fury stared at each of them, "Doom's been creating more doombots again, they're at Central Park. I'm sending all of you in because we need to get this under control quickly before the doombots can destroy any more. There are civilians there, and I want you to do damage control, don't let the doombots get further than Central Park, am I clear? I want you to contain them in one area and take them out. "

Steve nodded in understanding, "Is that all sir?" he asked. Fury nodded, "Do your job Avengers." With that, he disconnected from them.

Tony rolled his eyes, "Do your job Avengers." He mimicked, "When do we not do our jobs?" None of the Avengers even deemed it fit to answer him. He just pouted and walked out to the balcony, the Iron Man suit folding up over him. "JARVIS, tell the kid where we are and that if we're not back by dinner, he can help himself to anything in the kitchen."

 _Already done sir,_ came the reply. "Awesome," Tony said, "Don't take too long to arrive at the party guys!" Blasting off at the last sentence.

The four other Avengers simply rolled their eyes at his childish antics and waited for the quinjet to come pick them up. "I think I'll sit this one out first." Said Bruce, "I don't want to destroy too much of Central Park." The other three nodded and placed their commlinks in ther ear. "Let's go guys." Steve said as the quinjet landed on the roof of the Avengers tower.

* * *

Percy had heard the announcement that JARVIS had made, and his heart skipped a beat when he heard that the enemy was attacking Central Park. He was reminded of the Second Titan War, where they'd imprisoned Hyperion in a maple tree. He smirked lightly at that, wondering if he should pay a visit to the titan some time soon. He heard JARVIS' second announcement as well, and several minutes of staring blankly at the wall, he decided to get up and make some food for himself. He stepped into the elevator and instructed JARVIS to take him to the 93rd floor.

When he reached, he made a beeline for the kitchen, checking the cupboards and fridge for any edible food until he found a pancake mix. He was disappointed at the lack of blue food coloring but he didn't mind normal pancakes either. He went about making his pancakes, pouring the ready-made mix into the pan. After several minutes, he served the pancakes, placing them on the plate and went hunting for any syrup. He had just sat down and was about to start eating when the low rumble of thunder made him pause. He knew it was most likely just a normal thunder, not one caused by Zeus, but the thunder still made him uneasy anyway. That, and the fact that he was on the 93rd floor of a building made him feel as though he was infringing on Zeus' territory.

He shivered and tried to return to his food, but the thunder rumbled even louder, and he got up from his seat, walking towards the balcony where Tony had suited up earlier. He glanced up at the darkening skies, watching the swirling clouds with apprehension. He watched in fascination as the clouds above him gathered together, forming a sort of funnel. The funnel looked almost familiar, like the sky was opening some kind of wormhole… He blinked once, eyes widening in realization and horror and threw himself backwards instinctively, just in time to allow the Bifrost to slam down on the balcony where he was standing a fraction of a second ago. He felt an ice dagger materialize in his hand as he gripped it in an ice-pick manner behind his back. The rainbow colored beam of light then retracted to reveal a man completely decked in armor, with a blood red cape flowing behind him. The man hefted his hammer and stared at him, before a huge smile broke out on his face, "Perseus Jackson!" he boomed, "It is an honor of the highest degree to meet a hero, especially one such as you." Percy blinked, dissolving the dagger into vapor and bowed, "Mister…Odinson, it's an honor for me as well."

Thor just laughed, "Come now Perseus! You may simply address me as Thor, the Hero of Olympus should be welcomed as a friend not a stranger!" he looked around at the empty tower, asking, "Where are my comrades? Heimdall had said that they were in the tower."

Percy replied, "They just got called to Central Park, something about Doom causing some mayhem there."

Thor nodded, "Yet you remain here?"

Percy started in shock, "Oh, no, I'm not part of the Avengers, I'm just living with them on director Fury's orders. And, Thor, please do not address me by my title or my full name, just Percy is fine. The Avengers… they don't know who I am. Or what I am, and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

Thor looked at him thoughtfully, confusion marring his face for a moment, but he nodded his assent anyway. "Very well then Perseus, I shall abide by your wishes. Where is this Central Park?"

Percy just sighed at the Asgardian's use of his full name and pointed him to where Central Park was from the Avengers tower. He watched as the red draped avenger spun his hammer and took off.

He continued watching as the skies turned dark and flashes of lightning illuminated the sky in the distance. With the assurance that New York was not going to be destroyed anytime soon, he turned and finished up his pancakes and went back to his own level to take a short nap.

* * *

Deep in the bowels of Asgard, in the dungeons meant for the lowliest of prisoners, a figure draped in rags lifted his head at the slight ripple of magic that seemed to pass through him. The other occupants of the dungeon cells did not give any inclination to having felt anything but the figure knew better. Those criminals had no inclination to anything related to _sei_ _ð_ _r_ , but for all the Odin Allfather had bound his magic so tightly that he could not even feel any of its presence. But the Allfather had forgotten one crucial thing: he was a _seiðmenn,_ and as a _seiðmenn,_ he could sense what the mortals would call magic. He was not a sorcerer who had learned his craft, rather, he was born with his _sei_ _ð_ _r_ within him. As a result of that, he was able to sense the tiny ripple of magic that flowed through the golden realm. He opened bright emerald eyes, a smirk worming itself onto his face. _That fool of king thinks he can shut me away and forget about me,_ his mind hissed, _he has underestimated me, and I will show him what the consequences._

The ripple of magic that passed through the realm had not just been a surface touch for all _seidr_ -users, there was power within that ripple, proving that something powerful had been unleashed upon the realm. Loki lifted his piercing green eyes, gazing into the distance; for all that he had devoured books in Asgard's library all those centuries ago, he would not have been able to place a name to the sense of raw power he had felt. But after his time in the void… he knew that this could only mean that an Infinity Gem had awoken. The trickster was not sure of which Infinity Gem had been activated. _The Space Gem is already active and locked within the vaults of Asgard,_ he mused, _and the Mind Gem remains with Tha-the Mad Titan. That leaves the Power, Soul, Time and Reality Gems. It should not be Time or Reality as those would have a different magical interference due to their nature. It is most likely the Power Gem,_ he thought, _considering the sheer amount of power that passed through Asgard…_

His lips lifted in a smirk as he drew the power of the gem into him. It was definitely not enough to free him, but he squirreled it away into him nevertheless, storing it within him. This sudden influx of power had been more than what he had managed to put aside in the time that he had been locked up in this cell. He could feel the barrier blocking his magic weakening each time he stored his magic. He lifted his wrists to the light, observing the runes inscribed into them. It was only a matter of time before he would get out of this cage. _With three of the gems awakened, Tha-the Mad Titan is sure to be looking for the last three._ He thought, _it seems that even the great Allfather cannot force his control over the Nine Realms any longer._

Loki threw his head back and barked out a laugh, startling several of the other prisoners. "War is coming Odin," he hissed, "In your foolish arrogance, you will fall, and I will laugh as Asgard _burns_."

A feral grin spread across his face, the dim lighting making him look near the verge of insanity.

The hysterical laughter that rang throughout the dungeon sent shivers down the spines of prisoners and guards alike _._ All of them ducked their heads, unwilling to face the prisoner who was once the king of the golden realm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own Marvel or PJO

_He woke up in a dark room, his arms chained somewhere above him. His head felt groggy, and he tried to shake it to clear it up, only to regret that action as the room spun around him and his stomach threatened to rebel. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to get his stomach under control. When he opened his eyes again, he was relieved to find that his nausea had subsided. He glanced around the room-cell- that he was in, there was barely any light, and from what he could make out, there was nobody else in the cell with him. He shook the chains binding him experimentally, grimacing when he found them strong and secure. He hissed, extending his senses to search for any presence of water around him. Whoever his captor was, he or she was good. There was barely any water save the dampness on the walls that would not be of any use in the event of an escape. He tried to catalogue his injuries, his head was a little fuzzy,_ probably a concussion _, he thought, his arms were sore from being strung up, his side burned a little, and he did not know if it was because the wound was shallow or because his concussion diminished the pain. He was startled out of his cataloguing when the door creaked open. Dirty amber splashed against the wall in front of him, and he realized that the door was behind him. The room's newest addition walked in, footsteps echoing in the hollow cell. The tension in the room rose several notches and he couldn't take the suspense any longer, "Who are you?" he spat, "and what do you want from me?"_

_When no reply came, he was beginning to think that his captor had decided to toy with his mind, making him believe that there was someone else with him…_

_He froze when he felt a finger caress the back of his neck, the touch gentle and intimate, a parody of the action of a lover. His breath hitched,_ nonono, this is not happening, _he thought desperately. The finger trailed downwards, stroking his back as another hand came to close around his throat, the cold spreading throughout his body, causing him to shiver. The presence of a warm breath against his ear caused him to flinch, but he was held in place by the hands that held him against the other, their bodies pressed together. "What I want Perseus Jackson," A voice whispered in his ear, causing his eyes to open in shock and horror, "is_ revenge _." The hands gripped him tightly and yanked his head to the side. Malicious golden eyes gleamed in the dark, and he felt his heart stop in fear. "No…" he whispered, "This isn't happening…" The man chuckled, the sinister sound reverberating in his ear, "Oh I promise you son of Poseidon," the man hissed, baring his teeth in a mock smile, "This is very real. Your precious gods have left you for dead. They abandoned you to_ die _! To rot in this hell hole." The man took delight in the harsh breathing of the prisoner, placing a hand on his chest in a mocking gesture of comfort. He grinned even more as the boy flinched at the contact. He pressed his hands against the boy's chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart and pressed his mouth to his ear, "Welcome to hell,_ hero. _"_

_Percy screamed._

He jerked out of bed, heart thumping furiously as the aftermath of his dream echoed in his mind. He could still hear the taunting laugh of the Titan Lord as he toyed with him. Percy gritted his teeth, banishing the memory from his mind, he did not need Tartarus to haunt him now, not when he had work to do. He glanced up at the ceiling, "JARVIS? What time is it?"

 _It is currently half past seven in the morning agent Jackson,_ the AI replied, _there is breakfast in the kitchen if you are amenable to the idea._

Percy nodded and voiced his thanks, padding over to the bathroom to wash up. He stared at his own reflection n the mirror, grimacing at how unkempt his hair was. He spotted dark circles under his eyes and scowled at his haggard look. He hadn't been sleeping well the past few nights, and he couldn't pin point the reason why. He hadn't taken any missions that would have triggered a memory in him, nor had anything happened in the tower to illicit such a memory. He undressed, stepping into the shower, letting the warm water calm his nerves. He had been living in the tower for several weeks now, and true to his word, Thor had not called him by his title at all, choosing to use his full name instead.

He had stayed up late many nights to allow Stark and Banner to study his newfound bracelet- _wristband damn it!_ -and they made more progress than the SHIELD scientists. Perhaps it was due to Stark's eccentric way of thinking, but they had felt firsthand the effects of threatening Percy. Well, not verbally, but if anyone came to him with the intention to threaten, they were slammed backwards by a wave of power. In the few weeks that he had been staying with the avengers, he had learnt how to harness that power. He realized that it was semi-sentient and that it responded to his thoughts at times.

Obviously, Fury was well, furious, at this development, claiming that it was 'an unknown artifact' who's 'properties have not yet been determined' and that it was 'dangerous to use'. Percy had just rolled his eyes, the thing was already stuck on his hand and it was already dangerous from the moment he touched it. It hadn't harmed him yet, no sign of any radiation poisoning whatsoever, so he was going to assume that it wouldn't harm in the future either. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to turn down a potential weapon. He needed the extra boost, if only to compensate for his weakened state now…

He shook his head, willing himself dry after he was done with his shower. When he wasn't in the lab or in the gym, he was training Stark in hand to hand combat. Despite his lack of prowess in hand to hand, Stark had been fighting in the suit long enough that he had gained some form of instinctual movements that allowed him to dodge. His past dabbles in boxing had also lent its usefulness in his training, although it wasn't much. All in all, Percy could conclude that Stark wasn't as unfit or untrained as he thought he was, just that if he went up against any professionals like Barton or Romanov, he wouldn't stand a chance. _Then again,_ he mused, _not many would stand a chance against SHIELD's finest._

He finished brushing his teeth and changed into a fresh set of shirt and track pants, concealing his dagger in his clothes. Percy took the lift up to the 93rd floor, walking to the kitchen to start his breakfast. He was greeted instead by Steve who was making pancakes. Steve looked up at him and smiled warmly, "Morning, would you like some?" he said, gesturing to the pancakes he was making. Percy nodded to him, "Yes please." Steve served his own pancakes, and then set about making a new batch of pancakes, adding the blue food coloring to the mix.

The avengers had had strange reactions to Percy's weird fetish for blue food, Tony going so far as to tease him about having an obsession with the color blue, while Thor just cocked his head to the side and asked if all Midgardians had such weird quirks. Natasha and Bruce had kept quiet respectfully while Clint had laughed with Tony. When Steve asked him, he replied that it had been an inside joke between him and his mum. That shut Tony and Clint off quickly, both of who were quick to apologize. He had waved them off, claiming that it was a weird fetish anyway.

Nevertheless, he was touched by their efforts to include him into their ragtag group, calling for blue food if it was possible, and adding blue coloring to the food if it was cooked. He didn't know what surprised him more, that they seemed so domestic-not that he was going to say that in front of them, or god forbid, _Natasha_ , he liked to still be able to reproduce thank you very much-or that they could cook. Well, some of them could cook. Clint and Tony just burned the kitchen down. They had a roster, and those who could cook would take turns making breakfast, lunch or dinner. It was usually Natasha, Steve or Bruce, sometimes Percy, if it came to breakfast, since his knowledge of cooking extended as far as pancakes and omelettes.

He thanked Steve when he served his pancakes, and the both of them sat down, eating quietly. "So," Steve began, "what are you going to do today?" Percy chewed thoughtfully, "I think Stark and Banner mentioned that they wanted to continue studying the gem, they've already ran practically every scan they know of, so I think they're going to try having me use it. So my whole day would probably be spent in the lab."

Steve frowned, "Is that safe though? Considering the last time..."

Percy fell silent, his eyes clouded over, "We'll just have to hope that nothing happens."

Steve sighed, "Do me a favor will you? Drag them both out of the lab when it's dinner time. Tony is bad enough, but Bruce can be as bad too."

Percy smirked and saluted, watching the Captain roll his eyes, "Yes sir!"

He finished up his breakfast and placed them in the sink, heading down to the lab to find Stark. The door to the lab slid open as JARVIS allowed him entrance. He found Stark and Banner hunched over the table, the former gesturing wildly to the screens while the latter fiddled with…something on the table, Percy squinted, trying to see what it was but their bodies were blocking. He called out to them, but the loud music drowned his voice. He rolled his eyes at their obliviousness, the Minotaur could have come barreling down at them and they wouldn't have noticed anyway.

He walked over and tapped them both on the shoulder, smirking when Tony jumped a foot in the air. "Holy crap! Kid!" he exclaimed, holding a hand to his chest dramatically, "Don't ever do that again. Seriously, I felt my heart stop for a moment!"

Bruce smiled, cleaning his glasses, he hadn't had that severe a reaction and he was well practiced in dealing with surprises. "You're here to continue the study?"

Tony raised an eyebrow, "Thought that was tomorrow?"

Percy stared at him, "It _is_ tomorrow Stark." He said slowly. Tony and Bruce blinked slowly, "Oh." Bruce said.

Percy looked at them, "Do you want to continue this another time…?" Tony jumped up immediately, "No! We're good, just a little shocked, but that's what true love for science is isn't it? So passionate about our love that we-"

Percy face-palmed, "Stark! Shut up!"

Tony just grinned at his annoyance, "Come on, let's try out some new stuff."

"Like what?" Percy said, cocking his head to one side.

Bruce took over, "We want you to try using the gem while we set up scanners, we can observe the energy patterns that the gem emits."

"Do you want me to use it as in, like a defense or like an offense?"

Tony frowned thoughtfully, "Both, it may be different each time, so we can track the energy signature and observe the patterns." Percy nodded at their suggestion, glad that he was wearing suitable clothing. They moved to the training room, where Tony had created robots controlled by JARVIS to stimulate a fight and to test reflexes. There were several levels, from easy all the way to impossible. Only the assassins had ever tried the last level, and even then, they came out bruised in more places than he'd ever seen before. Thor and the Hulk would probably be the only one who could come out unscathed, Thor because of his superior Asgardian physiological makeup and the Hulk because well, he was naturally indestructible anyway.

He heard Stark's, "We're good to go kid!" and JARVIS' _"Difficulty level set to difficult agent Jackson."_ But he kept his eyes closed. He breathed in and out rhythmically, hearing the whirring of the machinery but not reacting to it. Time slowed, he concentrated on the well of power at his hand, feeling more than seeing the power unravel itself, until all he could hear was his calm breathing. Tony and Bruce were hidden behind a screen, and they watched in awe as Percy stood stock still, the red bracelet coiled around his right wrist like a snake began to glow, casting blood red illusions on the boy. It unraveled, and liquefied, coiling and twisting impossibly. It curled around his half open palm and extended further and further, until it became a three foot long sword. They both shivered at the sinister quality of the sword while Percy continued standing there silently. He had shifted his grip on the sword, but his eyes remained close. Seeing the robots get into position surrounding the SHIELD agent, Tony said, "JARVIS, fire it up."

Percy continued breathing lightly, sensing the robots surrounding him, when he heard Stark give the command to start, his eyes snapped open, revealing bright green eyes ringed with blood red.

He ducked under the first swing, whirling around and slashing at the bot's midsection, cleaving it into half, following through with the momentum and slicing another robot's arm. He punched the robot with his left hand, taking of its head with his right. He stabbed forward, punching through a robot with ease, dragging up the sword through the robot, cleaving it in half. He turned just in time to block a swing, the metal arm slamming against his sword with a loud clang. He gritted his teeth, knowing that his own strength was outmatched by a robot's. With a little concentration, the sword shifted to a dagger. With the sudden absence of an opposing force, the robot tilted forward, allowing Percy to slam his dagger into its body repeatedly, causing it to become a tangled mess of wires and metal. He changed his grip to a reverse grip and slashed at another bot. He stepped on a crouching robot and jumped over a whole group of them. He landed and rolled, turning to slash the legs of another bot, blocking another's downward swing with his dagger and kicking it back into another robot.

He did a roundhouse kick, knocking one of the machines down and stabbed it in its throat, severing its head from its body. He dashed forward under the robot's guard and slashed upwards, slicing its head into half. He felt a robot behind him and turned, but it smacked him in the side before he could attack it. He was flung into another robot, and he wound his hand around its neck and twisted, the head bent to one side. He threw the body away and jumped backwards, landing lightly on his feet. There were but a handful of bots left and he grinned at them, feeling the adrenaline course through his veins. He crouched, his muscles tensing and leapt forward, slashing and stabbing at the robots, alternating between Greek and Roman style. He was a whirlwind in the training room, and it wasn't long before he stood alone amongst a pile of scrap metal and wires. He breathed heavily, looking around at the destruction with satisfaction. He looked up at where Stark and Banner were staring back at him in shock. He smirked at their faces, wishing he had a camera with him, "That enough for you?"

Tony stared at the kid in wonder, "Uh, that should be enough yeah." He managed to spit out, mind still boggled by the fierce display of power and speed. Percy nodded, moving to the exit when the alarm blared throughout the tower. He whirled around, eyes wide and breathed, "Chitauri." At the same time, JARVIS' voice resounded, " _Sir, a portal has opened above the tower. Numerous Chitauri, though no fliers yet. They're entering the tower sir."_

Tony cursed, "Not again! JARVIS, deploy the Mark VII!"

Percy ran out of the training room, rushing to the highest floor. He heard Stark scramble to get into his suit. He burst out into the living room, ducking instinctively as Mjolnir flew above his head. He turned to glare at Thor, who just shrugged apologetically and called his hammer back to his hand. The assassins were already there and fighting back the chitauri. He snarled, twisting his wrist and slammed the dagger into a chitauri creeping up behind him, the short blade elongating to a sword once more. He jumped into the fray, hacking and slashing at any and all chitauri, their bodies dropping like flies. Tony and Thor took care of the ones outside on the roof, while the captain, the assassins and Percy took care of the ones in the tower. Bruce stayed in the infirmary, deciding that the Hulk was not needed in this fight. They had almost cleared the living room when Iron Man slammed into the balcony, suit sparking.

The four of them turned in shock, as a chitauri appeared in the living room. It was holding a staff, a long golden staff with an azure orb of energy occupying the claw-like protrusion at the end of the staff. It thrust its staff towards the four of them, a wave of power slamming them backwards. It raised a hand, flicking its wrist, binding the three avengers to where they lay. Percy snarled, getting up on his feet, but the chitauri was faster, slamming him backwards into the wall. He crumpled into a heap on the ground, his head pounding loudly, drowning out all other noises. He tried to get up, sensing the chitauri draw closer to him, but it forced him down with another wave of power, immobilizing him. The butt of the staff slammed into his wrist, just below where the gem was coiled around, having been forced back into a dormant state as Percy's concentration was disrupted. He gasped in pain as the staff pierced through his wrist, crushing bone and flesh. In his blurry vision, he saw the chitauri crouch over him, over the pounding in his ear; he heard vaguely the shouts of the avengers. He stared up into soulless pits, feeling a clawed hand grip the side of his head. "Foolish human mortal." It hissed, gripping his head even tighter, causing Percy to gasp out in pain. He lay immobile on the floor.

Percy heard the alien mutter something under its breath and struggled to get free, some animalistic instinct urging him to flee.

The chitauri finished its incantation, growling gutturally.

Percy's world exploded in a haze of fire and searing pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment on your way out!


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Marvel, obviously...

The Avengers minus Bruce were sitting in what was left of the living room where Captain America was giving his report to Fury, the stoic man becoming slightly disgruntled when Steve reported the damages and the casualty. When that was done, Steve rubbed a hand over his face tiredly, looking at his team mates. They all sat around in varying degrees of solemness. Despite the fact that they had only known Percy for several weeks, he had wormed their way into their hearts, becoming the little brother that they all looked out for. No one was unaffected, not even the assassins, though the only indication they gave were the frown on Clint's face and the emotionless mask on Natasha's. Tony sat in a corner, uncharacteristically quiet, and though the rest of the team had told him that it wasn't his fault, they knew that the feeling of guilt wasn't so easily appeased. Tony carried the blame that he could have closed the portal earlier, even though the Captain, Natasha and even Bruce had told him that it was a matter of coincidence, the timing of the events just coincided at the same time. There was no way he could have gotten from the lab they were testing in to the level where his upgraded suit was held, to the rooftop immediately. Unless he could teleport. Nevertheless, Tony couldn't assuage the feeling of guilt, and carried this burden like he did with Yinsen's* a lifetime ago. None of them had suffered any fatal injuries, seeing as how there wasn't as many chitauri as the battle. They had mostly concentrated on the tower, aiming for the avengers themselves, rather than spreading out to the city, so there was hardly any collateral damage as well.

The only person who had been affected was Percy, and the teen lay in the infirmary with no sign of waking up. The five heroes were silent, Tony remembered the agonizing scream that ripped from his throat when the Chitauri sorcerer gripped his skull. They didn't know what the alien had done to the kid, only that it had been excruciating and that none of them had been able to do anything to stop it.

 _In a way,_ Tony mused, _this is worse than Yinsen._ At least back then, he hadn't seen how Yinsen fell, only the aftermath of it. Here, Tony could pinpoint the exact moment that Percy's scream was cut off. And he didn't know which was worse.

Thor had claimed that it was magic, or _seidr_ , as the proper term was, but confessed in the same breath that he had little to no knowledge of it, only that it was considered a womanly art in Asgard. There were rarely any males who would dare to practice _seidr_ , for fear of being disgraced and called _ergi_ *, the highest form of insult to a male. The glare from Natasha would have sent him into a laughing fit if the situation had been different.

"Loki had always been the one to practice _seidr_ , he surpassed his tutors and our mother even though Father discouraged him continuously." Thor said hesitantly.

 _Well,_ Tony thought, _there goes our hope of finding out what's wrong with the kid._

The lift _pinged_ and five heads swiveled to it watching Bruce step out of the lift. Steve looked at him, taking in the doctor's haggard appearance, "Bruce, what is wrong with him?"

Bruce gave him a look, "That's the problem, there isn't anything wrong with him."

The avengers traded confused glances, Bruce took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose, "There isn't anything wrong with him physically. His vitals are normal, he hasn't suffered from any internal injury, he doesn't have a concussion, though there's a slight bruising at the back of his head, but not enough to render him unconscious or to cause any form of internal swelling. The only injury he has is the various small cuts and scrapes from fights, and a crushed wrist, which would not have sent him into unconsciousness. By all accounts he should be awake. Even his brainwaves are normal, and by normal, I mean when we are active kind of normal. Not the sleeping kind of normal. I don't know what is keeping him comatose."

The avengers all looked at each other, frowns apparent on their faces. "There isn't anything else we can do to wake him up?" Clint asked.

Bruce shook his head, "Tried it already, didn't work."

"Then it must be an enchanted sleep." Thor said, "I can try to ask anyone in Asgard for help. Although…" he trailed off, "I do not know if they would be willing to help a mortal."

Steve nodded, "We can't sit by and do nothing, Thor, you do whatever you can. But I don't want you to spend too much time searching for answers. If you can't find any, come back immediately."

He raised a hand to stop the protests from Tony and Bruce, "He is a part of our responsibility, since Fury entrusted his safety to us, but we cannot shirk our normal duties. Our priority isn't Agent Jackson, it's the Avengers."

Tony glared at him and huffed, stomping off to the lab to vent his anger. Bruce gave Steve a sad but understanding look and followed Tony. Clint and Natasha nodded at him, their faces grim, while Thor went out to the balcony, the Bifrost taking him away after his brief shout of "Heimdall!"

Steve was left alone in the living room. He looked at the destruction surrounding him and rubbed a hand over his face, he really hated being a leader sometimes.

* * *

Tony was in his lab, JARVIS blasting ACDC at the maximum volume while he worked. He was annoyed and frustrated at Steve's orders. Logically, he could understand that the majority was more important, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and all that, but hadn't the kid already suffered enough? The chitauri landed him in SHIELD, and now they landed him in a coma. They should be helping the kid, he just got placed in a magically induced coma for goodness sake! Tony banged his fist against the table, ignoring the twinge of pain in his hand. Okay so maybe he felt a little protective of the kid, but in his mind, he felt that the kid deserved to be protected. He didn't know what the kid had gone through, but he had eyes that were too old for a twenty-one year old person.

He sighed, guilt settling in his stomach like a heavy weight. He made no move when the lab door slid open and the music abruptly cut off. The sudden silence sent his ears ringing. "It's not your fault you know." Bruce's voice sounded from behind him. Tony gripped the edge of his worktable harder, ignoring DUM-E's whirring at his side. "I didn't close that damn thing in time. That's why that freaky alien thing could come out."

"Tony…" Bruce sighed, "We didn't know what that thing was. We still don't. We can't change anything now but we can work on preventing such a thing from happening in the future."

"Yeah well that would only work if we can even get anything concrete out of these fucking readings!" Tony snarled, slamming his hand against the table.

Bruce remained silent, he knew that Tony didn't like being responsible for someone else's pain, especially not after what happened to Yinsen. "I can't get anything at all. I've had JARVIS scan the living room for any residual traces, I've had JARVIS look through the entire attack, from when that _thing_ blasted me to when it blasted all of you to when it did its weird alien voodoo thing." he said, wriggling his fingers in explanation for voodoo.

Bruce just frowned, "Nothing at all?"

Tony shook his head, "There are some traces of gamma radiation here and there from that thing's scepter, but there isn't any evidence of any energy spikes, and that's impossible because that thing very clearly showed off his power!"

Bruce placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, feeling his tenseness. "We'll figure something out Tony."

Tony snorted, "Will we?"

* * *

They didn't figure it out.

The six heroes were weary. There was tension everywhere, the team worked well enough in battle, but outside of battles, the friction between the team grew stronger. Tony and Steve got into more and more arguments, Bruce would disappear for hours on end to his own floor, the vague sounds of crashing telling the rest of the team that he Hulked out more and more often. Natasha and Clint stuck together more often, holed up on their floor and shunning the rest of the world. Thor more often than not went to the rooftop to brood, the perpetual storm clouds above the Avengers tower a telltale sign. The team was fracturing, and no one knew how to patch the cracks. A comatose boy-man, Thor insisted- lay in their infirmary, not showing any signs of waking. The team was called out of the tower to deal with more and more threats every other day, each more formidable than the last. They were strong, but not infallible. They prevailed now, but there would be a foe which they cannot overcome. and it seemed to be near. Doom had always imbued his bots with magic, but he had finally upped the ante. The doombots were practically indestructible now, capable of dealing ab explosive offense while having a near impenetrable defense.

Tony was ready to rip Doom to pieces. If the Avengers could even find the real him. Normal easy to smash robots aside, the sheer amount of doombots released each time was enough to give the heroes a headache. Add on Doom's newest creation of magic and technology combined, it left the Avengers with an even bigger headache. So far, only Thor could actually destroy the bots. The Hulk could too, if given enough time to smash through the spell placed on the bots. The rest of the Avengers weren't so lucky. No matter what they did, they couldn't get past the spell protecting the doombots. Tony and Bruce tried to analyze the robots when they managed to bring one back, but even that was unsuccessful as it self destructed mere moments after acquiring it.

Their comatose patient remained as he was a month ago. Tony would have cracked a joke about how he was Sleeping Beauty or Snow White waiting for their true love's kiss if he had been in the mood. Or if the situation hadn't seemed so…desolate. Tony Stark was not a man who liked to wait. He couldn't stand the fact that the villains were getting the upper hand over them and they couldn't do anything but try to defeat what was thrown at them. It didn't feel productive, it felt like they were just taking everything that was thrown to them. Thor hadn't managed to find anyone who knew of enchanted comas in Asgard, and like Steve had ordered him to, he came back to the Avengers.

Tony was sitting in the infirmary, beside Percy's bed. He looked at the boy who lay as still as death, covered by a white blanket. The kid looked normal, as though he was merely sleeping, but Tony knew better, they had all tried their own ways to wake him up, but all failed. He sighed, feeling his anger and frustration grow even more. Apart from the normal villains they had to deal with, there was also the occasional Chitauri attack. Despite their attacks coming in small numbers, this new group proved to be smarter and far more resilient compared to the group that the trickster god had led into New York three years back.

The people were becoming restless and afraid, and press conferences could only do so much to convince them that the 'Heroes of Midgard' had everything under control. _No_ , Tony thought, _the Avengers are losing their credibility_. Already, four out of six avengers couldn't even defeat Victor von Doom, the esteemed leader of Latvaria. They couldn't even control the damage made by the Chitauri anymore. They could barely even save the hostages taken by a psychopath**. and that was the most basic of situations!

Not only that, but the Chitauri were becoming more and more bold, they switched between ambushes and attacking SHIELD bases outright, becoming unpredictable. He didn't know how the aliens even knew the location of some of the bases, seeing as how secluded it was. He knew, obviously, but then again, he had JARVIS. And he was Tony Stark. They were looking for something, but the Avengers just didn't know what. SHIELD didn't tell them anything either. Five of them were mere mortals, one of them not so much, while the sixth member was a god who was also a prince and as such had princely duties.

They had committed the most amateur mistake ever. They underestimated their enemy. And it cost them.

They had managed to find a handful of survivors, but that one SHIELD base was completely and utterly decimated. The Avengers had foolishly thought that the Chitauri were of the same make as the ones Loki had brought to New York three years ago, mindless and with only one thought in their head: attack.

These Chitauri were far from mindless. They were an organized group, any weaknesses they had were cleverly covered by their strengths. They were intelligent too, being able to sneak into the base undetected for hours until an agent discovered their presence by mere chance. The worst thing of all, this bunch not only had a sorcerer not unlike the one they sent to the Avengers Tower, perhaps even the same one, but they could shapeshift***. By the time Tony had managed to uncover who was a Chitauri and who was not, most of the base occupants had already been dead.

The guilt ate at Tony, he knew he should have been faster, just as he knew that no one would blame him. But the thing that grated at him the most was the fact that he had been present at the Alaskan base, and he saw firsthand how ruthless they were. Percy had told him about the Chitauri in the basement and the ones he fought against on that glacier. They'd known how to hide and concentrate their attacks, creating distractions so that they could fulfill their main purpose with none the wiser. The only reason why they failed in Alaska was because Percy had been there to stop them in time.

They weren't stupid, Tony knew, far from that, they were actually damned smart, and yet he still underestimated them time and again. Their technology was on par, if not superior, with the current human ones, and that was saying something because that included Tony's inventions and some of his inventions weren't even on the same level as the ones on the market. That, and they had learned how to conceal their portal.

Doom's magic was more than enough for the Avengers, throw in Chitauri magic, the occasional madman and crazy unrequited lover**** and they were scrambling around like blind mice. Tony and Pepper had been trying to do damage control, speaking to the press and the public about how the Avengers had everything under control. It worked for the first week or so. But as the attacks became more frequent and the death toll became higher and higher, the public lost their faith. The avengers were failing and crumbling and there was _absolutely nothing_ they could do. The Avengers were faltering.

All the attacks and recent events did bring out one question though, and surprisingly enough, Clint was the one who had brought it up. They had just come back from defeating (read: attempting to defeat) another of Doom's newest creation. Magically enhanced doombots that apparently didn't break as easily. They had all just crashed on the various couches when Clint suddenly voiced up, "Hey guys…", they all looked over to him, seeing him frown thoughtfully, "I really hate to sound sympathetic or anything to that bastard but, what the hell was Loki doing?"

Thor blinked, slightly affronted on his brother's behalf but focused on his friend's words instead. "What is your meaning friend Barton?"

Clint hesitated, "I mean, we've seen how the Chitauri work, we've seen how they're capable of organizing an ambush and an attack. We know that they are capable of guerrilla warfare and it doesn't match their behavior three years ago, when they were mindless and following the orders of a madman."

Tony had just shrugged casually, "Maybe they evolved or something. Never know with aliens, no offense point break."

"No," Natasha voiced up, "I get where Clint is coming from, the attacks they have organised have shown that they already have a leader, one that knows exactly what he wants and is capable of planning and plotting clever attacks and distractions to obtain it. And," She looked at Thor, "if it is true that Loki is locked up somewhere where he has no chance of any interactions, then it is most definitely not Loki. Which means that, if Loki isn't their leader, then he wasn't really aiming to dominate Earth."

The avengers all shifted uncomfortably, it didn't seem right that their so called public enemy number one was apparently not the one in control. Things had been easier and far more convenient when the issue of the trickster god remained black and white. Thor on the other hand, felt hopeful, _if his brother wasn't truly in control of the whole invasion then there was perhaps hope for him yet._

"We're all forgetting one thing though," Bruce interjected quietly, the rest of the team turning to look at him, "If Loki isn't the Chitauri's leader, then who is?"

Tony was cut out of his musings when JARVIS said, " _Sir, Mister Odinson is back in the tower."_

Tony grinned, _finally,_ he thought, the god of thunder had been gone for several days now, promising to search for anyone who would be able to help them.

* * *

_Percy's dreamscape_

_The barren wasteland extended as far as the eye could see, the black void hung above the planet's surface like a yawning abyss. Space whales flew through the crevices in the planet's surface, their armor creaking as they turned to avoid the rock walls. Chitauri soldiers scattered over the surface of the planet, fighting, squabbling, training. They steered clear of the monstrous whales, lest they become the creature's meal. Their armor gleamed in the dim light shed upon the planet's twin moons, the blood of the weak saturated the ground beneath their feet. In this place in the middle of the Void, only the strongest survived._

_A portion of the planet jutted upwards at the highest peak of the planet's uneven surface,_ __a grotesque mockery of a throne,_ metal and bone decorated the throne, reflecting whatever light reached the surface of the planet, casting a sinister glow upon it._

_A violet colored being sat upon it, golden armor encasing his muscular body. Vicious red eyes stood out in the dark, the entire being's demeanor screaming malevolent despite the casual position the alien was sitting in, with one leg crossed over the other._

_At the base of the throne, a figure knelt, hunched over as if to protect his body from an assault. The purple figure shifted, uncrossing his legs, extending a giant hand towards the figure. He gripped the boy by the throat and heaved him up, delighting in the pained gasps the abrupt movement caused. His grin only grew wider as bright oceanic orbs glared back at him despite the pain that must surely be filling the boy's body._

_The purple titan grinned, "You would make a beautiful gift to Death, Perseus Jackson. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you see it, I still have need of you."_

_Percy spat at the alien before him, stifling another gasp as the being's grip tightened further on his throat. He managed to spit out, "I've seen Death, and I don't really think he'd appreciate me as much as you think he would."_

_He smirked as the alien roared in anger and flung him against a rock, gasping as his back came into contact with sharp bits of stone, jostling his fractured ribs. He blinked harshly, trying to focus his vision against the pain emanating from his abdomen with every breath he took. A strangled yell escaped him as the giant grabbed his throat and dragged him up the rock, his back slowly shredded by the sharp surface._

_He felt hot breath on his face, "You will not disrespect the Mistress Death filthy mortal." The titan growled, "Once I tear this power away from your veins, I will send you to her personally. Slowly, intimately, until you are screaming for her. And I will take pleasure in ripping your soul apart with my bare hands."_

_Percy choked out a laugh, forcing himself to stare directly into the titan's malicious ruby eyes, "You have_ no idea _how many others have said that, and I'm still here yes?" He grinned, a blood-filled, terrifying smile, "The last people who told me that now lie rotting away in Tatarus." he hissed, "I'd love to see you try_ Thanos. _"_

_The purple giant tightened his grip and threw the hero onto the ground, slamming a foot onto his midsection, feeling bones groan and snap beneath his boots. He relished in the agonized scream that escaped the boy's throat, "I am Thanos, the Mad Titan, the one in favor of Mistress Death, I am nothing like those pathetic godlings on your precious Earth. I am far more powerful, you seek to destroy me? Not even Odin Allfather in his youth could destroy me, what more can a puny mortal do?"_

_The titan was rewarded with silence punctured by harsh gasps of breath, then, "Go…to…hell…"_

_A wicked smile adorned the titan's face, "We already are in hell little hero." He crooned._

_The titan stepped off the boy, ignoring the hacking coughs behind him, turning around to beckon his faithful servant._

" _Yesss massster?" The Other questioned, bowing before the titan._

_Thanos smirked, "Break him."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out!


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Haven't owned Marvel/PJO before and never will.

In the weeks that followed Perseus' fall, the tensions between the avengers were thick. Thor was not the brightest of Asgardians, he wasn't as smart as his fellow avengers, nor was he as witty as his brother, but he wasn't stupid,not by a long stretch, and Loki had taught him the value of observation a long time ago. It was only through his folly that he failed to pay attention to Loki's teachings in the past, not even realizing his brother's hurts and growing anger. Thor was an act-first-think-later kind of guy, and being unable to do anything to help his fellow warriors made him feel helpless, with little more to do than sit around and twiddle his thumbs. And he hated that feeling. As an Asgardian, he had a home to go to if Midgard fell, but he loved this planet and its inhabitants deeply, and to think of abandoning it seemed sacrilegious. These mortals were fighting for their own home, and Thor knew that while his friends did not resent him, it also did not help that he was the only avenger to be able to defeat their recent enemies.

Barton's sudden question had shocked them all, but none more so than Thor. Back then, he had only concentrated on dealing with the Chitauri as per his father's orders, leaving the aftermath of the attack to the SHIELD director and Steven Rogers. He felt guilty for leaving such responsibilities to them but like what his brother had said, he did not truly know the humans well enough to speak to them. That job was better left to those who had the charisma to affect the majority. That had been his job on Asgard, but as he was so often reminded, he was no longer on Asgard.

Thor spun the thought in his mind, he remembered questioning Loki atop that cliff side-who _controls the would-be king?-_ and as hard as he thought, he could not remember Loki ever giving him an answer to that. Loki was a master of lies, but his brother was always fond of saying that the best lies were the truth. Yet, in that moment, he had deflected, with less than his usual grace. If that was true, if there truly was someone else controlling the strings, then perhaps his brother was not as lost as he thought. Thor let hope surge within him for a moment, before clamping down harshly on it. His brother was known as the Silvertongue and Liesmith, it would not surprise him that even if Loki was not the chitauri's leader, he still had been in league with whoever was behind the scenes.

That thought pained him, he longed for the brother who had fought beside him, not against him. He longed for the Loki that had laughed delightfully when a prank was pulled off successfully, who begged non-stop to accompany him on a hunt, who smiled so brightly at him when Thor accepted his gift. But still, doubt lingered in his mind, there was one more thing that was not right, something that his fellow avengers would not know about. He understood their resentment and hatred towards his brother, for Loki had invaded and nearly destroyed their home, but Loki, despite all his faults and anger, was still Thor's brother. He was still the person that Thor had spent most of his life with. He was the brother of Thor who had tottered after him when they were mere children. And even though Thor, who, thinking back now, could barely even list what Loki loved to do other than devour his books in a solitary corner, knew one thing for sure.

He knew that Loki crafted his own weapons more often than not, causing him to be mocked by the people of Asgard for his actions. It was unbecoming of a prince of Asgard to dirty his hands with coal and fire, but Loki did not care what his peers thought, he continued crafting his own weapons, imbuing them with his own power. He knew that his brother preferred fighting with his own carefully crafted weapons, especially the daggers that their mother had given to him, his favourite daggers. Their father had gifted Loki with a staff once, an ebony staff that had enchantments placed on it to strengthen it and a power source at the head of the staff. Loki had thanked their father, and promptly returned to his room to tear out all the enchantments placed on it. He had reconstructed the staff in terms of _seidr_ , adding his own enchantments along with several crystals to the staff. When Thor saw his staff next, it also had an obsidian snake with emerald eyes coiled around its length. The staff had a pointed end that could pierce through even the hardest of armors, and near the power source, it had a curved head with a hooked end. All in all, the staff had made him uncomfortable, looking as wicked as it did. When Loki caught him staring, he had just smirked and twirled the staff expertly.

That weapon had brought death to many enemies, and Thor grew to appreciate its beauty, commending his brother for his work. But now that he was musing, he realized that he had not seen his brother use it for several centuries now. He had thought that the golden staff was the same one, that his brother had decided to change its outlook. Now, he was not as sure of that opinion as he was then. He remembered the blue colored orb pulsating in the scepter, casting a sickly glow on his brother. He wondered now if it did not have any effect on his brother's madness.

Thor made up his mind, he stood up, gripping Mjolnir from where it hung by the door and went up to the roof of the Man of Iron's tower. His exit was blocked by one Captain America, who glanced up at him from where he was sketching the city's skyline.

"Thor," he greeted, "Are you going back to Asgard?"

"Aye my friend, do not fret, for I would not be gone long." Thor replied.

Steve nodded slowly, then asked hesitatingly, "Are you…going to ask for help?"

Thor blinked at him, then cursed inwardly, in his musings about his wayward brother, he had completely forgotten about the situation they were in. He planted a smile on his face, much like how Loki always did, "Aye Captain, I will do my best to find someone who is willing to help us."

Thor felt his heart clench in guilt at the sheer relief on his friend's face, "Thanks a lot Thor, this means a lot, even if you don't find anyone, at least we tried." Steve said, giving him a smile that belied his exhaustion.

Thor nodded mutely, gesturing for Steve to step back. He then raised his eyes heavenward and bellowed, "Heimdall! Open the gate!"

The rainbow colored beam of light consumed the god of thunder and brought him home to the golden realm, leaving the symbol of America's hope alone on _the roof._

* * *

The Bifrost spat him out into the golden observatory, where the gatekeeper, Heimdall stood. The two Asgardians greeted each other silently, mutual respect between them preceding the need for any formalities. Thor stepped out of the observatory, hesitating slightly as the golden spires of Asgard's central building loomed in the distance. He whispered an apology to his mortal friends and spun Mjolnir rapidly, taking flight towards the dungeons.

He landed at the entrance to the great hall of Asgard, choosing to walk from there to the dungeons to collect his thoughts before facing his wayward brother. He steeled himself internally, knowing that Loki would most likely be behaving like a cornered animal. The air became colder and damper as he descended into one of the darkest places of Asgard. He knew that his father's decision to block Loki's magic was a just one, however, he could still remember his brother's screams when they forcefully bound the magic away. He remembered his mother's furious screams at Odin for such a punishment. At the time, he had thought it lenient, the removal of power much like his own during his banishment, even telling his mother so. His mother's horrified look stilled his tongue from further comments, and it was only later on that he had realized that his brother had been born with _seidr_ , he had not become a _seidr-_ master because he learned how to manipulate the energy of the realm when they were younger, like the other girls who had learned from scratch. His brother was born with his natural talents. For such mages, their magic was akin to their lifeblood, and to bind it was equivalent to ripping their soul apart, each act of binding had different consequences. Some could not take the strain of having their _seidr_ bound, while others could withstand the strain on their soul. Mostly, their minds fractured and they descended into insanity. Thor had paled and immediately pleaded with his father to lighten the sentence but Odin had refused him adamantly.

Thor sighed, he did not know what state his brother was in now, nor did he know how his mind fared. He felt guilt well up within him when he realized that he had not visited his brother once but clamped it down immediately, hardening his heart out of necessity. He would not let the Trickster manipulate him, no, not this time.

Thor inclined his head to the guards in front of the dungeon, "I'm here to see my brother." He said lowly. The guards looked at each other hesitantly, one of them stepping forward, "Sire, the king has forbidden anyone from visiting the prisoner."

Thor stepped forward, causing the young guard to take one backwards, "I am your prince, I would visit my bro-the prisoner. If the king questions you, tell them who t was that came down here, I will bear full responsibility."

The guards looked frightened still, but acquiesced without further protests, standing aside to let the crown prince into the dungeon. He walked forward, not giving the other prisoners a second look as he made to the last cell. Even before he had reached the cell, he heard a mocking laughter resonate out, "Well well well." Loki drawled, contempt dripping from his every word, "If it isn't the golden prince of Asgard himself." Thor rounded the corner, coming into view, he eyed the trickster sprawled on the floor, casually leaning against the wall, his arm propped on his knee. "To what do I owe the honor of being graced with your presence?"

"Enough games brother." Thor said, "I did not come here to play games."

"Ah," Loki chuckled, "Not a casual visit then? How you wound me _brother_ , not visiting me once in this Norns forsaken cage and when you do, you come to me for help."

Thor furrowed his brows, "What? No, I did not come to seek your help, I came to find answers."

It was the darker prince's turn to raise his eyebrows, "Not here for my help? Surprise surprise, Asgard still stands."

"Enough Loki!" Thor thundered, raising Mjolnir threateningly. He felt a perverse pleasure at seeing fear flash through his brother's eyes momentarily at his actions. His brother always did bring out the worst in him.

Thor took a deep breath, "I want answers Loki, and you _will_ give them."

"Well what is in it for me?" Loki smirked, spreading his arms out. The golden prince merely stared back at him silently.

The trickster rolled his eyes, flapping a hand at his once-brother, "Very well, go ahead and ask, I have nothing to do down here anyway. This place is so _dreadfully boring_."

"Did mother not give you books to read?"

Loki leveled him with a deadpan look that said _get on with it you big oaf_. Thor cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Who is the leader of the Chitauri?"

He was rewarded with a raised eyebrow and an unimpressed look from his brother, "What? The Avengers and I have been in battle with the Chitauri recently, and they are much more organized than when you led them. The archer, Barton, pointed out the discrepancy between their fighting styles back then when you led them and now."

"Big words Thor, never knew you had it in you." Loki smirked, he rolled his eyes, grumbling at his bro-once brother's obliviousness, "You could have told them that right from the start Thor."

"What do you mean?"

Loki sighed exasperatedly, _idiots,_ he thought, _I am surrounded by idiots_ , "Tell me, how did you know of the Chitauri when you went to Midgard?"

Thor cocked his to one side, "Father told me about them."

"And…?" Loki prompted, "How did he know them?"

"He fought against them before." Thor said, frowning confusedly, feeling anger rise within him again at his brother's mocking, "What has this got to do with anything?"

Loki groaned, placing a hand over his eyes, shaking his head. The gesture was so familiar that it both sent a pang through his heart and made him puff up, feeling affronted, knowing that he had just been insulted but not knowing how.

"You stupid oaf," Loki said, "If Odin had fought them in the past, that would mean that they had a leader then, it would also mean that they have a leader now as clearly, the Allfather had failed to vanquish them!"

At Thor's continued blank look, Loki huffed, "If Odin fought them before I was born, and he never managed to defeat them, only drive them out of Yggdrasil, that would mean that I could never have been their leader because their leader is still alive!"

Loki glared at Thor, watching as realization finally dawned on him, "Honestly, it took you seven years* to realize that simple fact?" he snapped.

Thor felt his cheeks redden, and glared back at his brother, trying to cover up his embarrassment, "That is not all brother, the mortals, they face the chitauri yet again-" "So you have said." "-and the chitauri wield magic this time round." Thor said, continuing over his brother's interruption, "is there anything you know that could help?"

Loki snorted, "Like I care about those foolish mortals, and I'm not omniscient, how am I supposed to know what magic has been used when you refuse to tell me?"

"Brother, those mortals are not foolish, and they are certainly not what you think. Some are actually quite brilliant."

"To you, and your inferior mind."

"Loki! Enough!"

Loki snarled, standing up to face Thor, "You came here for answers, do not be upset if you get the ones not pleasing to your delicate ears."

Thor stared into his brother's poisonous green eyes glittering with madness and anger, "The chitauri have used concealing magic, much like the ones you used when we were younger. They have also shape-shifted into forms that allow them to escape notice." Thor hesitated here, not sure if he should tell his brother about the other enemies they faced. Loki had turned his back on him, but Thor knew without a doubt that his brother was listening carefully. "There is also another enemy of Midgard who uses magic, he uses it to strengthen his creations to the point where only Mjolnir is able to crush them."

"As I have said," Loki said, casually scrutinizing a fingernail, "I care not about your little mortal pets. If they cannot even handle their own enemies, then they are failures. Then again," he put his hand down, facing Thor fully, his bright green eyes piercing, "it cannot be helped that Earth's Mightiest Heroes are criminals and killers too, can it?"

Thor pressed his lips together, his brother's nonchalance grating his nerves. He turned and walked away from his brother's illuminated cage, stopping a few feet away from it, without turning back, he said, "That is not all, Perseus Jackson has fallen to the Chitauri, they have sent him into a sleep that he cannot awaken from. I know not what tortures are caged in his mind."

Thor ended his little speech and stalked out of the dungeon, never looking back once.

If he had, he might have seen the way Loki's back stiffened at the mention of the Midgardian hero. He might have caught the way his brother's eyes widened momentarily, the gears turning behind them. Loki stared into nothing, a single word escaping his lips in a quiet whisper, " _Perseus._ "

* * *

Thor thanked the guards who stood at the entrance of the dungeon, walking slowly back to the surface. He felt glad to be out of the dungeons, the atmosphere heavy with silence and tension. Going to visit Loki was a mistake, he could barely control himself when his brother spat out barbs. He had never been as skilled with words nor had he been as quick-witted as Loki was. He stopped short in the middle of the corridor, earning him a few strange looks, _curse him!_ He thought, in his rush, he had been sidetracked and had forgotten his original purpose. He scowled, stomping his way to his father's office. There were no court sessions today, and the next council meeting would not be anytime soon. His footsteps echoed in the vast hall, signaling his presence as servants and guards alike stepped to the side to make way for him. When he reached his father's office, he knocked heavily on the door, the banging sound echoing down the corridor. He waited for his father's sharp, "Enter!" before pushing the double doors open.

His father sat behind a wooden desk, running a critical eye over several sheets of parchment. His entrance caused Odin to look up, his lone blue eye assessing the crown prince standing before him. "Thor." He said, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?"

Thor hid a wince at the similarity of the greeting given to him by his brother earlier. But where Loki's greeting was full of contempt and derision, Odin's was that of concealed pride. "Father." He greeted back politely.

Odin waved a hand at him, gesturing at the large chair on the opposite side of the table, "Sit, sit. What would you like to talk to me about?"

Thor blinked in surprise, "Father, I have not said anything yet-"

"Thor, you have never come to this room of your own accord without wanting something. Now tell me, what is it you want?"

The glint in Odin's eye told Thor that he already knew what he was here for, but Thor went ahead and told him anyway, "The Midgardians Father, they are having trouble with the use of _seidr_."

"And?" Odin questioned.

"I would like to ask for assistance Father. I have little to no experience in the art of _seidr_ , as such, I cannot offer them any form of assistance. I would that Asgard sends some form of help-"

"No."

Thor reeled back in shock, "Father?"

"I cannot spare any mage to help the mortals, Thor."

"Father you cannot be serious! Asgard swore to protect the realms, that includes Midgard. We are to help them in their time of need!"

Odin gave Thor a piercing stare, "Tell me Thor, are any of the mortal's enemies of Asgardian descent?"

"No Father, but-"

"Are you able to handle the spells used by them?"

"Yes Father, but-"

"Then there is no need for Asgard to interfere." Odin declared, ignoring Thor's shocked face.

"Father," Thor began, but was cut off by Odin, "No. Asgard cannot spare any help to the mortals, they have managed well enough on their own in the past, they will continue to do so now."

"Father they are under our vow of protection!"

"They are but mortals Thor!" Odin exclaimed, pinning Thor under his stare, "they have fleeting lives, they come and go. When one falls, another dozen takes its place."

Thor was stunned into silence, he had expected such comments to come from Loki, but not from his father. He watched as his father returned to scrutinizing the parchments before him, struck by how similar Loki and Odin were in that moment with their similar disregard about the mortals. Thor made to leave when an idea hit him, a conniving smile not unlike the one his brother often wore wormed its way onto his face, "Father," he said, waiting for Odin's acknowledgement. His father grunted, "You said that you could not spare any Asgardian to help the mortals."

Odin sighed and placed the parchments back on the desk, giving his son his full attention, "Yes I did Thor, what of it?"

"If you did not send an Asgardian? It would not hinder Asgard in any way for he would not be contributing if he stayed here."

Odin stared at his son for a moment, realization dawning on him at the implication in Thor's sentence, "No. Thor, that is madness, I will not allow such a thing!"

"Father," Thor pressed on, "it makes perfect sense. You cannot send any Asgardian mage, but I do not need one, just a mage that can help Midgard. If I take him, Asgard will not be affected. If I do not, he is of no use to Asgard either."

"Have you forgotten his transgressions on Midgard?" Odin demanded.

"It is precisely why I should take him! The mortals suffered directly, yet they have not had any say in his trial or punishment. This can be his attempt to compensate for his attacks." Thor argued.

"Why are you so adamant about setting your brother free Thor?" Odin questioned.

"I am not setting my brother free. I am trying to help my friends, you have made your wish clear, and you cannot or will not send any help from Asgard. Loki is sitting in his cell rotting away, he does not contribute to Asgard's benefit in any way at all. His removal from this realm will have no detrimental effects."

"None save the mayhem he undoubtedly will cause in whichever realm he steps foot on!" Odin slammed a hand on the table, the sound deafening in the great expanse of the room. Father and son were at an impasse, but Thor stood his ground. "Father, we have not given the mortals any form of reparations, wherein we normally do. It would damage Asgard's image if we were to withhold any form of reparation to the mortals. They were the ones who suffered the brunt of Loki's attack, yet we have not given them any help or compensation."

"You were sent to help them. That is reparation enough."

Thor said nothing, leveling his father with a heavy stare.

Odin eyed his son, wondering when he became so shrewd. Silence enveloped the room. Odin sighed heavily, dismissing his son with a wave of his hand, "I will consider it."

Thor knew that that was the best he could get out of his father. He only hoped that his father would see the logic behind his argument. He bowed and walked out of the room, his cape swishing behind him.

Odin closed his one eye, "Is this the right thing to do?"

"You know it is my king." A musical voice chimed beside him. Odin opened his eyes to see his queen standing beside him. Frigga smiled down at him, "Our sons belong together husband, they watch each other's backs in a way that no other being can."

"I would have believed that once, if not for the fact that Loki is now more likely to put the knife in Thor's back rather than watch it!" Odin snapped.

Frigga frowned at him, casting him a disappointed look, "Then, my king, you truly do not understand your own child."

Odin furrowed his brows, while Frigga continued, "If you truly think that Loki hates Thor, then you have wasted the millennia bringing up the two boys. This is my advice, Thor and Loki have always been opposites, they are two halves of the same coin, to use a mortal's phrase, they complete each other. Whether or not you heed it, is no longer my concern. I will only pray that my king will make the right decision."

Frigga bowed, and her illusion dissipated in a swirl of green light. Odin sighed again, wearily, he called for a council.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out!


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all your comments! Also special thanks to Colts12broncos18 for your encouraging words! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: Nope sorry, seems I wasn't successful in stealing Percy or Loki from their owners...

Thor trudged to his room, shedding his cape and armor and collapsing on the bed like a marionette whose string had been cut. He felt weary, wearier than he had ever felt before. Thor felt tendrils of doubt seep into his mind, was he doing the right thing? Insisting that Loki be sent to Midgard. _What if his friends disagreed? What if Loki went out of control?_ What if, what if, what if…

Thor was broken out of his reverie by a knock on his door. Taking a moment to compose himself, he said, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal his mother in all her flawless glory. Her curled golden hair was pinned up neatly by the sides of her head, allowing the waves to cascade gently down her back, her white tunic wrapped around her like a cloak, the ends of it trailing behind her. _Even in a simple white gown,_ Thor thought, _his mother's beauty and grace rivaled no other._ She smiled at him, "Thor." She greeted her son.

Thor stood before her, bending to hug her, "Mother." He greeted back, stepping backwards to allow her into his room. He closed the door quietly, "Mother, what, if I may ask, are you doing here?"

Frigga smiled, "Can't a mother come visit her child?"

Thor's face reddened, he looked down sheepishly, feeling like he was 820 years old* again. Frigga laughed, "Oh Thor, you don't need to look so troubled. You are doing the right thing."

Thor looked up in surprise, "How…?"

Frgga gave a knowing smile, "I am your mother Thor, every mother knows her children well."

"Then how can you know if what I am doing is right? What if by freeing Loki I am setting things into motion that would result in grave consequences? What if Loki wreaks havoc on Midgard? What if I am wrong about everything?"

He bowed his head and whispered, "What if I am wrong about Loki?"

"Shhh," Frigga soothed, running a hand through his dirty blond locks, looking at him with sadness evident in his eyes, "I will tell you what I told your father, you and Loki belong together. You both are two sides of the same coin, without Loki, there is no Thor. And without Thor, there is no Loki. People call him the dark prince, and they call you the golden prince. It may be said in jest and ridicule, but their words hold truth." She hushed Thor's protests, lifting a finger to his mouth. "Loki is the darkness to your light. Every candle casts a shadow. You both were meant to complement each other."

She looked down in regret, "The bond you both had was meant to last through the ages. But," she looked up at him again, her eyes shining with hope, "Perhaps through this way, you both will forge another bond. One that is stronger than the one you lost."

Thor looked at her, feeling comforted but thoroughly confused, "I…I do not understand mother."

Frigga smiled at her eldest, "Oh Thor, I cannot say any more, but you are both my sons, I have brought the both of you up regardless of background. Do you not think that a mother would not know her own child? Loki belongs beside you Thor, he watches your back, and you watch his."

"He hates me mother," Thor said, "He told me so himself on Midgard."

Frigga gave a knowing smile, "Trust me my son, when I tell you that your brother does not hate you. Now," she said, getting up, placing a hand on her son's shoulder, "get some rest, you look exhausted. I will tell the maids to wake you for dinner."

Thor nodded silently, leaning into her touch for a moment like he did so when he was younger. Frigga glided out of his room, shutting the door behind her silently. Thor climbed under the covers, remembering how Loki used to sneak in his room and climb under his covers, snuggling into his side when they were children. He closed his eyes, regret tainting his heart for a moment before he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day felt as surreal as the day before. Thor slipped into his usual routine, cleaning himself up, putting on his armor plates slowly. His father had told him that a council session would be held today in the Great Hall to determine Loki's fate. Again. He was lacing up his boots when a knock sounded. "Enter." He said gruffly. A servant timidly stepped in and bowed, "My Lord, the Allfather requests you presence in the Great Hall immediately. It is nearly time for the council session to begin."

Thor blinked, surprised that time had passed so quickly. He nodded, "Very well. Tell him I shall be there soon." The servant bowed and hurried out of the room. Thor finished lacing his boots up and attached his cape to his armor. He took a deep breath, running his speech through his head. There were many on the council who detested Loki, while others appreciated him, if only for that sharp tongue of his that would have made him a great politician. He had to convince those to see his logic, and convince the ones who did not that there was no other way. He prayed silently to the Norns, Odin knew he never had the ability to convey arguments like his brother did. He made his way to the Great Hall, footsteps echoing along the corridor. When he reached, he pushed the door open, revealing the full council. His external expression did not change, but Thor was nervous, he had fced the council once before, when they determined if he was worthy of taking up the challenge to obtain Mjolnir. Even then, he had not been nervous. Quite the opposite in fact, because he was too excited at the prospect of getting his own specially crafted weapon. He banished those thoughts away and quickly bowed to the council, while Odin straightened, addressing him in a booming voice, "Thor Odinson, you have brought a matter to the council regarding the former second prince of Asgard, Loki Laufeyson, and our slight overlook on our part in the midst of deciding his punishment. As of now until a decision has been made about the prisoner, you shall stand witness to this council session until you are called forward to present your case. There will be no form of interruptions. Is this understood?"

Thor sank to one knee, placing his right fist over his heart, "Yes Your Majesty."

Odin gestured for him to rise, and Thor moved to the side respectfully, Mjolnir hanging from is belt. He waited with bated breath as his father announced the entrance of his brother, "Bring forth the prisoner!" Slamming Gungnir down for emphasis.

The double doors at the far end of the hall opened, the sound of chains clinking against each other echoing in the vast hall. Thor hid a grimace at the sight of his brother, a collar attached to his neck like a common pet, with chains binding his hands and feet together, the silver metal attaching to the collar, restricting his brother's movement. Thor could hear the murmurs from the members of the council, and from Loki's demeanor, he was sure his brother could too.

Loki grinned then, a wicked smile that showed more teeth than was necessary, he could feel the council's uncomfortable shifting and it sent a thrum of pleasure through him, to know that he could still affect them even though he was powerless. He took his time to walk to the base of the throne, disguising his disgust at the feeling of déjà vu. He risked a glance at Thor, his not-brother as still as a statue, face a hardened mask. He ignored the ache in his chest and smirked, watching in delight as Thor twitched, his hand having to close into fists.

Loki reached the base of the throne, staring up mockingly at the king of Asgard. His blatant show of disrespect did not go unnoticed by the council, and the disapproving murmurs rose in volume. Odin banged his spear thrice, "Silence!" he boomed. The hall descended into utter silence. Odin stared down at his wayward son, who stared back unflinchingly at him. The king flicked his hand, and the guards surrounding Loki pushed him down, his knees cracking against the polished floor. The trickster expertly hid a wince, choosing instead to chuckle slowly. He grinned, surveying the entire council, "A full council session, what have I done now _Allfather_?" Loki glanced back at the silent king, presenting his handcuffed hands as evidence, "Not," he drawled, "That I could have done anything with such…restrictions." He smiled, a terrifying smile that sent shivers down Thor's spine. His brother seemed more unhinged than when he visited him the day before. Thor pressed his lips together. Loki was not helping his own case.

"Enough Liesmith!" Odin said, "This trial, brought forward by the Crown Prince of Asgard, Thor Odison, shall henceforth commence. No interruptions by the prisoner shall be entertained. Is this clear?"

Loki rolled his eyes, "Crystal." He smirked.

Odin gripped his spear tighter, "Thor Odinson, step forward and present your case."

Thor took the cue and stepped beside his brother, ignoring his brother's curious glance. He bowed once, "Esteemed council members, it has come to my attention that there has been a lack of compensation towards Midgard, the realm which suffered the brunt of the prisoner's attack." He said, gesturing to Loki who was kneeling beside him. "As per our laws," he continued, "proportionate compensations should have be given to the respective realm which has suffered an attack from one of our own. This is evidenced by the reparations given to Jotunheim as a result of the prisoner's attempt at destroying their realm via the Bifrost…"

If he wasn't trying to keep up an appearance, Loki would have just sat down on the ground there and then. Instead, he settled for displaying exactly what he thought of the entire proceedings, his face the epitome of boredom. The council was still debating amongst each other after Thor had presented his opinions and his suggestion that Loki be sent to Midgard to give compensation to the mortals. The council had argued that since he wasn't technically Asgardian, so to speak, there should have been no need for any form of reparations anyway. His favorite was the murderous expression on Thor's face when the council member scoffed at the need of having to repay 'mere mortals'. Loki had smirked then, _I told you,_ he thought to himself, sending Thor a satisfied smirk, which the thunder god studiously ignored. _I'm not the only one who thinks of mortals beneath me._ He thought viciously, smiling as Thor was proven wrong that Asgardians would even care about the mortals on Midgard. Loki could have rolled his eyes again at his brother's foolishness, as if Asgard would allow their most dangerous prisoner out of the realm just to placate several worthless mortals. Even if they placed restrictions on him, his absence would cause paranoia in the realm. Loki smirked inwardly, he had come far, from being the slighted and unknown prince, to a renowned criminal who instilled fear in people both with his presence and absence.

A side glance at Thor told him that his brother- _once_ -brother- was feeling bored, and just a little frustrated. _Well,_ Loki amended, _more than a little frustrated_ , he thought, seeing Thor flex his hands. The crown prince turned, feeling eyes on him, and met the gaze of his younger brother.

Perhaps it was a coinicidence, or perhaps it was fate, that as the two brothers shared a look like so many times before in their childhood when they were to be punished for one of their many pranks, Odin Allfather bore witness to the entire scene. Caught up in a moment of sentiment, Thor and Loki had a silent conversation as they used to when they were caught in bouts of mischief. Loki smirking at the antics and paranoia of the council, while Thor grinned knowingly at his brother's less than polite thoughts of them.

The moment passed quickly, with Loki turning away from Thor, realizing that he had let sentiment rule his head. Thor turned back to watch the council as well, the mask back firmly on his face, feeling awkward without knowing why. But Fate had played her hand, and Odin made his decision.

He slammed Gungnir into the ground, effectively shutting the council up and gaining the attention of his sons.

Njord, a member of the council, voiced the thoughts running through the council's mind, "Your Majesty, we have not yet come to a conclusive decision, perhaps we could break and convene again at a later date?"

Odin closed his one eye and sighed heavily, "I have made my decision. The prisoner will go to Midgard."

The hall was silent for a moment, then chaos erupted.

Thor was disbelieving, as was Loki, ironically, for the same reasons, they had not expected that the Allfather would agree to allow Loki to even leave Asgard, let alone set foot upon Midgard.

The council members were in an uproar, each one clambering over one another in a futile effort to convince the king otherwise.

Loki's confused gaze met Odin's stern one.

Thor roared at the council, hefting Mjolnir for extra emphasis, "SILENCE! Let my father speak."

A heavy silence blanketed the room. The king and prisoner locked in a staring contest.

Odin gripped Gungnir and rose from his throne, stepping down the dais, coming to a stop in front of Loki.

"Loki… Odinson," he said softly, his voice carried in the echoes of the hall, "You will be sent to Midgard to atone for your crimes against that realm as well as to deliver compensation from Asgard. Your magic will be bound at all times unless it is needed. You will take an oath on the Norns to aid the Midgardian heroes in their battles should they require your help. Only in the duration of these battles would your magic be unbound. An exception of this rule would be if you were attacked directly, in which you would be able to use your magic in self defense. However, only a portion of your magic will be unbound should you require it for self defense. This is to prevent any unnecessary death. If you use your magic for anything other than the above stated exceptions, the consequences will be severe. And dealt by the Norns themselves." Odin looked down at his second son, "Will you, Loki Odinson, prisoner of Asgard, accept these conditions?"

Loki stared at him, feeling cold fury surge through him, _How dare he? Treating me like a common mutt, to be used by the so called heroes of Midgard? Pathetic creatures, if they cannot even fight their own battles._

Loki drew himself up as much as he could on his knees, "What is in it for me, Allfather?" he hissed.

Odin stared silently at his son, uttering a single word, "Redemption."

Loki recoiled in shock, then threw his head back and laughed, poisonous green eyes ringed with blue gleaming with malice, "You think that I desire redemption? Oh how misguided you are Allfather!" He spat.

The council stirred in anger and Thor stepped forward, a hand on Mjolnir, but Odin raised a hand, silencing them.

"Redemption. And freedom." Odin repeated.

Loki glared at him, feeling the poisonous hate flow through his veins. For a second, he felt a tugging sensation in his mind, and in his mind's eye, he saw destruction and ruin. A voice whispered gently in his head and he grinned maliciously, "Freedom," he tested the word on his lips, savouring the sweetness it brought, "Then I accept your conditions, Odin."

Odin nodded, and Loki frowned, confused at the sudden glimpse of triumph he saw in the Allfather's eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out!


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nope, sorry, seems I don't own Marvel or PJO. :(

"Oh hell _no._ "

Thor shifted uncomfortably, "My friend, please-"

"No! This, this is over the line, it is _way_ over the fucking line." Clint snarled, his hands clenching into fists. He shrugged off Natasha's hand on his shoulder and stalked up to the thunder god. Despite the archer being at least half a head shorter than him, Thor still took a step back, being able to feel the murderous aura around his friend.

Clint snarled, jabbing a finger at Loki, "He is _not_ supposed to be here! You fucking promised us that you'll take him back to Asgard. He's supposed to be in a fucking cell rotting away!"

Clint panted, the anger rushing through him indescribable. The other avengers stood around him, Steve was with Natasha, directly behind Clint, while Bruce was near the window, facing the New York skyline. He took deep calming breaths, trying to get his anger under control. the Hulk didn't need to make an appearance now.

Tony however, was more vocal about his, "Oh hell yes, I completely agree with Legolas here Point Break, I mean what the fuck? You told us that day that Assgard would handle it, now you say you're bringing him here? For what? Daddy couldn't stand his ugly little face anymore?" he sneered.

On the couch, Loki stiffened slightly, eyes flashing in anger. He pressed his lips together, and forced himself to relax. He spread his arms out on the back of the sofa, languidly crossing his legs as he observed the entire room. He supposed that it was what the mortals called their common room, much like a common dining area that Asgard had. It was sparsely furnished, with only a single couch and the bar. He narrowed his eyes, ignoring the little spat the avengers were all having behind him. The mortals were so petty, accepting the fact that he was already here would have been much more convenient and less energy would have been wasted.

He looked around the room, noting the fully stocked bar where Stark had stood several Midgardian years ago trying to threaten him. He noticed the slight burn marks on the floor and on the far left wall. The screen in front of him remained untouched but new, as was the couch beneath him. Loki narrowed his eyes, Stark seemed more like a person who flaunted his wealth, to use his own words against him, "a full tilt-diva", _whatever that meant_ , Loki thought. He glanced back at the six heroes, who were still locked in verbal combat, and rolled his eyes. _Honestly,_ he grumbled to himself, _their city could be burning and they would not even notice._ He sighed exasperatedly; the mortals were using the same argument over and over again and he was more than tired of hearing it. Even if it did amuse him.

Loki leaned on his hand, closing his eyes, portraying an image of resignation and boredom while he took the chance to examine his restraints. He was in the midst of finding weaknesses within the bond restraining his magic when he felt _it_. A strange tremor that ran through the tower. He frowned, his eyes still shut, even as he blocked out all other sounds. The squabble occurring behind him faded into the background, and Loki was left with a myriad of energy trails. His own _seidr_ may have been blocked, but he was a _seidr_ \- master, he could sense when magic was used, or when a magical artifact was present, even though it felt muted now, as if he was underwater and in a glass tank. He concentrated on the weakly pulsating energy, trying to follow the trail even though he could barely sense it. He frowned, he knew he had felt that power before... His eyes snapped open in shock.

For once, Loki was glad that the mortal contraption he sat upon was faced away from his brother and his band of mortal pets, he sat in shock, holding his breath. There was just _no way_ that another stone could be on Midgard. Let alone in Stark's tower. He narrowed his eyes, _it was clear that the mortals weren't aware of it, otherwise they'd have informed Thor already. No. Maybe not, the fool is ignorant of their existence as well. Perhaps it was someone else who brought it in- Oh._ Loki blinked, _I see._ He flexed his hand absentmindedly, trying to relieve the growing numbness, mind racing ahead in search for an answer to the mystery surrounding the tower. He sneaked a glance at the still quarreling avengers, and shifted so that he sat forward, no longer stretched out on the couch.

Loki closed his eyes again, tracing the thread of power down several floors. He took in the hum of power, twirling the thread around his hand. Griping the thread of power, lLoki concentrated, feeling the texture and the flow of the power emanating from the stone. He started as he realized that it was the same power he felt in his cell. He opened his eyes, his lips curling into a smirk, he now knew where that power had come from.

He leaned back into the couch, its soft material folding around his body. He turned his head to the side, watching his little archer stand up to his brother. He laughed, cutting through their arguments instantly. Six heads swiveled to look at him, Hawkeye being the first to snap out of his stupor. "What the hell are you laughing at asshole?" he snarled, taking a step forward. Loki just smirked even wider, completely undaunted by the archer's supposedly menacing form. He turned back to face the blank screen in front of him. "You mortals are so petty." He said, bringing a hand up to examine his fingernails, "Squabbling over trivial issues, taking such a long time to reach a decision…" he smiled when he felt the cold barrel of the gun press against the back of his head. "How…inefficient."

Natasha moved to place a hand on Clint's arm, silently warning him, "Loki. We have a right to question Asgard's decision, we were promised that you would have been dealt with. Yet, here you are."

"Please," Loki drawled, "Asgard has never been good at keeping prisoners. Least of all me."

He stood up and faced them in a fluid movement, causing both assassins to aim their weapons at him. The rest of the team were no better, all of them tense, even his own brother. He grinned, "Look at you all, so afraid of me." He walked around the couch, hands placed behind his back. "Yet you put up a facade of bravery. How…touching. Heroes," Loki smirked, coming to a stop in front of Tony Stark, "there are no such things."

"Brother." Thor warned, "Enough of your games, the Allfather has ordered us to-"

"Ah ah ah." Loki said, pointing a finger at Thor, "Your king ordered me to remain on Midgard, he never decreed that could I not speak in my own fashion."

Thor gritted his teeth, "Brother-" he tried again, but Loki ignored him, "If he wanted to keep me silent, he should have sewed my mouth shut. More efficient is it not?" He sneered, turning to face the Man of Iron, green eyes boring into almond ones, "Now, where is Perseus Jackson?"

Tony grabbed Thor's arm and yanked him backwards, "You told him about the kid?" he hissed, aware that he wasn't really able to stop the muscular Norse god from doing whatever he wanted. Thor however, just looked back at him sadly, guilt still gnawing at him at having his words thrown back at him, "I had no choice friend Stark, my brother was the only one who could help him."

Tony stared, incredulous, "No. Don't give me that shit, you said that there were magic users up there, you said so yourself! How the fuck did that translate into only Mr. I-love-myself-so-much over there?"

Thor sighed, "Asgard needs its mages, and I negotiated with my father to let Loki come to Midgard instead."

They both turned to see Bruce leading Loki down to the infirmary where Percy was in. "If Loki does anything to the kid, I won't hesitate to blast him into pieces." Tony said, glaring up at Thor. The avengers all followed him silently.

"Well, there would be a line in place." Loki said, coming to stand before the avengers, with Bruce behind him. He held out his wrists to Thor silently. The avengers watched in slight confusion as Thor and Loki stared at each other for a moment, before Thor shifted to place his hands on his brother's wrist, muttering, " _lausan_ _frá_ _skuldabréfum_ _sínum*_."

Loki rubbed his wrists, relishing in the feel of his power being unlocked. He was aware that the majority of his powers were still locked away, but let it be said that the Trickster could appreciate what he had.

Loki smirked, walking back to the infirmary, "Explain to your precious mortals the terms and conditions of my release from Asgard brother mine, and _do not_ under any circumstance, disturb me. Am I clear?" he asked, pinning Thor with a strict look. His brother nodded.

"That goes for you mortals too. If you disrupt the process, I cannot guarantee what will become of Perseus' mind."

"And what exactly the hell are you going to do?" Clint asked, his voice tight with anger.

Loki paused at the doorway of the infirmary, "I am going to extract his mind from wherever it was sent. If your tiny little brain can comprehend that." He said, stepping into the room and shutting the door.

The avengers all stood around uncomfortably, not willing to let their enemy stay with their friend, but not willing to risk his mind either. Thor broke the silence, "Come," he said, voice subdued, "I will inform you of the Allfather's orders."

One by one, the avengers all left the trickster god in the infirmary and went back up to the living room.

* * *

_Infirmary_

Loki shut the door behind him, not caring about the avengers who were most likely debating on whether or not to leave him in the room alone. His gaze fell on the boy on the bed. Despite his earlier skepticism about heroes, he knew that there was only one exception in all the Nine Realms, and that was Percy Jackson, who looked more fragile than Loki had ever seen him, lying in a bed with various machinery hooked up to different parts of his body. He, like practically everyone on Asgard, knew about this boy, and the things he did for this realm. it had come as a shock to the majority of Asgard, including the Allfather, to learn that the Grecian gods were still alive and very much active in Midgard. Loki, being as curious as he was, had explored the realms secretly when he was younger and had enough power to maintain a double that was stationed in Asgard. He had stumbled across the gods as he explored Midgard several Midgardian centuries ago, hence he was the only one who was not shocked at their appearance.

Where Midgard was considered beneath Asgardian notice before, _and wasn't that ironic_ , Loki thought, _that the mortals think the entire population of Asgard shares in Thor's love for mortals,_ the realization that the Greeks were still around had Asgard change its outlook on them, though their main dismissal of the mortals remained unchanged. It was news of the great battle against the Titans that brought the gods to Asgard's attention, and while the rest of the realm gaped and stuttered their surprise, Loki just smirked and preserved their gobsmacked faces in his mind, laughing along with Hermes and Apollo when he conjured up their image for them. _Of course_ , the trickster thought, _that was all before it went to Hel._

Loki moved to stand by the bed, mindful of the various contraptions connected to the boy. He knew not what those were, but he was smart enough to realize that they helped keep his body alive while his mind was stranded elsewhere. He waved a hand over the boy's body, noting that while slightly emancipated, he was mostly healthy. He placed a cold hand on Percy's forehed, sending a tendril of his power within. _As I thought, his mind was held captive somewhere else._

Loki withdrew his hand, from what Thor had described to him of the attack, he could practically guess where Percy was being held. Loki swallowed, he did not want to go back to that place, not now, not ever. And he could back out now, he did not have any obligation to Perseus Jackson, he only needed to help the Avengers.

 _But,_ a voice whispered at the back of his mind, _you are already hailed as the Liesmith, the Trickster, Silvertongue, do you wish for Oath-breaker to be in the list?_

Loki gritted his teeth, a debt was highly regarded in all the Nine Realms, to not repay one… You would lose any and all scraps of credibility and honor you had, even though he was already despised and shunned by the vast majority.

Loki gingerly sat on the bed. He stared at the child-turned-man before him, contemplating his options. He spared a passing glance at the boy's wrist before leaning forward and placing both hands on either side of Percy's head, his thumbs resting slightly beneath his eyes. Loki took a deep breath and closed his eyes, tendrils of green energy emerging from his hands, coiling around his and Percy's head as he tracked Percy's location.

* * *

_Living room_

The avengers were back in the room where it all started. They were scattered around the place, Bruce and Steve on the couch, Natasha with Clint against the wall, Tony at the bar pouring drinks for everyone and Thor in the middle of the room. Despite the seemingly randomness of their positions, it didn't escape Thor's notice that he was surrounded by them. By his friends. He sighed inwardly, knowing that the source of their tension was his own brother. It was a rift between him and his team mates. As heroes, they couldn't and didn't want to consider Loki as anything other than an enemy. But for Thor, his brother was his soft spot, and however he claimed that Loki was beyond hope, their was a part of him that blanched every time he thought about his brother, dead and broken on the ground.

"So," Steve began, "What's the deal with Loki coming back?"

Thor hummed in response, trying to think of a way to break the news to them, "I tried asking my father for help, but," he paused, looking uncertainly at them, "he told me that he could not spare any Asgardian mage to come to Midgard."

"You mean he didn't want to bother with us mortals." Clint said flatly, crossing his arms and glaring at the floor..

Thor winced at his friend's bluntness, but did not comment on it because he knew that it was true. It was only his naive way of thinking that assumed that Asgard regarded mortals as anything other than creatures beneath their notice. "I apologize, I truly tried, but my father ignored my requests." Thor said, "I had visited my brother before consulting my father, and a thought came to me."

"Thor," Natasha interrupted, "What, exactly are the terms of Loki's stay here on Earth?"

Thor breathed in deeply, "He has been ordered by Asgard's council to aid you in your battles."

"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold up, what the hell?" Tony shouted, "Aid us? We don't need his help. Okay?"

Steve sighed tiredly, "Tony, we need help, no, don't give me that look," he said, cutting off whatever protests he had, "We need help, it's why we asked Thor to go back to Asgard in the first place. We have it now, but it's just not in the form we wanted."

Steve turned to the avengers, "None of you interrupt him anymore, let Thor finish speaking, and then we'll decide what to do next." He made sure that the rest of the avengers agreed before nodding for Thor to continue.

Thor smiled, grateful for the Captain's intervention, "Loki has had his magic bound and sealed by the Allfather, who is a powerful sorcerer himself. It is nigh impossible to get out of the bonds that my father has placed on Loki. He is bound in a way which prevents him from using his magic except in certain situations. If you are in need of magical help, my brother is to use his magic to aid you. Outside of such conditions, his magic will remain bound. The only other exception is self defense. If any of you attack him outright, he is given the right to defend himself. However, he will only have limited magic, which will be enough to incapacitate, not kill."

Thor finished his speech, slightly out of breath.

Bruce took off his glasses, absentmindedly cleaning the lenses with his shirt. He peered up at Thor, "You said that it was 'nigh impossible'. It implies that there is a tiny chance that he would be able to break out of those bonds. And what's to say he won't escape when he is unbound? I mean, it seems like a big loophole there, his magic being unbound when we need magical aid, but it isn't a guarantee that he'll help us. What's stopping him from waiting until his bonds dissolve then using his magic to, I don't know, run away?"

Thor looked almost triumphant, as if he was waiting for someone to point out that fact, "My brother cannot do that, he has sworn an oath on the Norns to help you in your battles should you require his help."

The five avengers all gave him blank stares. "What…?" Tony asked, voicing their questions.

Thor blinked at them, "You do not have the Norns? People who," he made a vague gesture here, "control certain things?"

Tony raised an eyebrow, turning to face the other avengers, "Uh, guys? Do we have anything like that? Because I'm pretty sure we don't. Right?"

Thor shook his head, "The Norns come in the form of three women, they stand at the roots of Yggdrasill and pour water from the Well of Urðr** over it so that the tree would not rot. They control Fate itself.

"And how does that help us exactly?"

"To swear an oath on the Norns is the highest form of an oath one can make. If he or she breaks it…"

"What, they die?" Clint sneered.

Thor shook his head, "No, they will be granted a fate worse than death."

The avengers were all silent at this revelation. After a moment, Steve spoke up, "So Loki has to help us, or something bad will happen to him? There isn't anything he can exploit or something?" he studiously ignored Clint's muttered, "Why should we care about what happens to him?"

Thor thought for a moment, while he had no doubt that Loki would be searching for a loophole, he also knew that Odin was well aware of his son's slippery tendencies and would have taken precautions against it. "No," he finally said, "I do not believe that my brother can get out of this without anything less than severe harm falling upon him."

Steve nodded, apparently satisfied. The avengers, having nothing more to discuss, all retreated back to their rooms, after Tony instructed JARVIS to inform all of them if Percy woke up.

* * *

_Infirmary_

Loki concentrated, pulling his magic around him, focusing on his consciousness and diving after Perseus' consciousness. He followed the trail left behind, gasping slightly when he felt cold air hit his face. His eyes snapped open- _torturepainagonyhurtpaindarknesshelpmecutspaingetawayfromme_ \- _NO!_ He snarled to himself, wrenching himself out of his own memories, absently wondering how he could have flashbacks when his mind was not in his body.

He gasped for air, the bleak landscape forming in front of his eyes. He gripped the wall harder, using it as a crutch to steady himself. He looked at the wall and flinched away, realizing that he had been gripping the remains of some creature. He gulped for air, wrapping his magic around him like a cloak. The feeling of his power thrumming around him comforted him and calmed him down as he slowly breathed in and out.

Loki cursed inwardly, what was he thinking? Coming back to this place? He shook his head, _no, concentrate. You have a job to do._ He steeled himself, then peered over the wall he had somehow managed to hide behind in his earlier panic attack. He scowled, _the God of Mischief_ does not _get panic attacks._ He surveyed the entire planet, hiding behind his rock instinctively when a Chitauri patrol flew past, there was no harm in being discreet, even though he was, for all intents and purposes, invisible.

He caught glimpses of the space whales he had led during his invasion, not batting an eyelid as he watched them crunch on the several unlucky chitauri who had the misfortune of riding too close to the monsters.

He glanced back and forth, trying to determine where he was, before he caught sight of an elevated section of the planet. From his own memories, he remembered that the Mad Titan ruled over the broken planet from there. Loki swallowed, silently making his way to the grotesque mockery of a throne. As he neared it, sounds of agonized and muffled yells reached his ears. He closed his eyes, cursing under his breath. He crept closer to the origin of the sounds, and grimaced when he saw the hero strung up like cattle, the chitauri jeering and laughing around him. Loki bared his teeth in a silent snarl, there was no way he could get to Perseus if he was surrounded by the chitauri. Loki risked one more glance, and flinched back violently, his breath caught in his throat as he saw the Other. He breathed heavily, wrapping his magic around him even tighter, unwilling to take any chances. He did not want that particular chitauri to get even the slightest hint that there was someone there.

Loki sat down where he was hidden behind yet another rock, closing his eyes against the screams and against his own memories, his magic a comforting cloak around him that grounded him through the tortures he knew was going on and the ones that sent phantom pains through his body.

It wasn't until what felt like several hours later that the screams ceased and several days later that the chitauri moved away. Loki let out a breath, he had ceased his invisibility spell after the first few hours, it was too tiring and impractical to hold up the spell for an indefinite amount of time. He was powerful, but it was still a waste of energy that might be needed sometime later and it took effort to maintain a spell for an extended period of time. Instead, he had cast a spell that would make anyone who saw him remember that they had to do something else, practically forgetting almost immediately that they saw him. Not the most ideal spell to use on a bunch of brainless chitauri, but he would make do with it. Besides, it wasn't like he was in top form.

Loki shifted silently, looking around the clearing for any sign of the chitauri before he crept towards where Percy was held. He stood before the boy, who was unconscious from the treatment he received. Loki ran a critical eye over him, they hadn't done anything to his legs, so that might be a good thing. On the other hand, it meant that most of the damage was concentrated on his upper torso. If Loki was a lesser man, he would have winced, alas, he had seen such injuries before. Loki made sure that there were no aliens around before he grabbed the chains holding Percy, eyes flashing in a silent spell. The chains melted, and Loki caught Percy before he could hit the ground, immediately wrapping his magic around the both of them. The Trickster glanced distastefully at the chains, then weaved an illusion of the boy in his arms being chained up.

He carried Percy in his arms carefully, mindful of his injuries, and walked silently across the desolate landscape trying to search for a place to hide. He found a crevice a distance away from where Percy had been chained up, and quickly set the boy down. He crouched over him, hesitantly shaking him. when Percy did not wake after his incessant shaking, Loki frowned. Contrary to popular belief, he was not actually a sadist, and he did not really want to do this but he needed Perseus awake in order for him to be able to bring both their minds back. He placed a hand over Percy's chest and pressed down-

-a hand covering Percy's mouth immediately as muffled screams escaped. Percy felt like he was on fire, arching his back as pain ripped through him. he tried to escape, but he was pinned down and he couldn't _get out and he needed out damnit he needed air cantbreathetoomuchnononostop-_ "Perseus! Breathe!"

 _Was someone shouting in his ear? Because he couldn't hear anything, blood rushing through his head, oh the agony, the pain. He hadn't felt like this since Tartarus-_ "Perseus!"

_This was horrible, he couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, couldn't fucking breathe, wherethehellwashe? Notonearthnosomewhereelse-_

He surfaced with a gasp, his vision clearing. He felt a cool hand on his forehead, and his eyes focused, seeing a pair of viridian eyes staring straight into his. He stared back for a moment, then the rest of the man's face ( _because it was most definitely a male_ ) came into view and he bolted upright, or would have, if said man didn't hold him down. "Careful," the man said, "You were injured badly."

Percy glared back at him, pushing away the remnants of pain that was coursing through his body, "No shit Sherlock."

The man frowned, "That is not my name." he muttered.

Percy rolled his eyes, "I know that damnit, who the hell-" He blinked, eyes growing wide in shock as the face registered in his mind. "Shit, what the Hades?" he cursed, trying to squirm away from the man holding him down, "Damn it, what the heck? Loki? What in Hades' name are you doing here and how the-mmmf!"

Loki covered Percy's mouth, leaning over him protectively. Percy's eyes widened further, _this was so not what I was expecting to wake up to_ , he thought, acutely aware of the well-toned body pressed against him. He watched as the man-no, Loki- cocked his head to one side and listened for something that escaped Percy's ears. Loki looked back down at him after a moment, face unbearably close to his, "You should not move too much, your wounds are not healed, I have merely numbed the pain. That, and be silent." Loki whispered, his breath ghosting over Percy's face.

Loki leaned back slightly, allowing Percy to shift such that he wasn't lying down completely. He stared at the god sitting before him, so unlike the other gods he had met throughout his life. "So…" he began, "What are you here for?" he said in an undertone, now aware of the fact that he was in hostile territory.

Loki smirked, "I am here, excuse me for sounding cliche, to remove your presence from this horrid place."

Percy frowned, the words turning in his mind, "Where am I? I mean, I know I'm on the Chitauri's homeland but other than that… I have no idea how I got here." He looked at the god weirdly, "How do you even know words like 'cliche'?"

Loki looked at him, "First of all, your physical body isn't actually here, this is your mind. Second, I will not deign such a question with a response."

"Wait," Percy said, his brows furrowing in confusion, "So this is all in my mind?"

Loki rolled his eyes, "No, this is an actual place, but the chitauri dragged your mind out of your body and transported you here."

Percy blinked owlishly, "Huh?"

"Oh for goodness' sake!" Loki huffed exasperatedly, "That is not the point now, I can give you a detailed explanation once we get out of here-"

"Yeah well," Percy cut in, "You said that before, how are we going to get out of here?"

Loki leveled him with a look that said _do-not-interrupt-me-again_ before continuing, Percy rolled his eyes, apparently, there were some things that all gods shared, "Obviously, since I have the magic necessary, I will be getting both of us out of here. It is quite simple really; I drag your consciousness out the way I came in. And-"

"And why should I trust you?" Percy cut in again.

Loki glared at him, but Percy glared right back, undaunted, he had been on the receiving end of worse glares than that anyway. "Well," Loki drawled, "You can stay here if you want. I will just inform the avengers that you did not wish to come back. There is only one way out for you Perseus."

"Stop, don't call me that."

The trickster god raised an eyebrow, "Perseus?"

Percy scowled, "Percy, just, Percy. I hate it when people use my full name."

Loki grinned, leaning closer into Percy's personal space. The sounds of chitauri chattering filled the hollow cavern and Percy glanced worriedly at the entrance. He turned back to find green eyes boring into his, "The chitauri are coming." Loki said, glancing nonchalantly at the entrance, "They will find this place, it is but a matter of time." He looked back at Percy, his palm turned upwards between them.

"What will you choose Perseus Jackson?" He smirked, "Will you trust me?"

Percy stared into those vivid green eyes, feeling lost in them. He scowled once, thinking, _how do I always get into these situations?_ then placed his hand in Loki's palm, those green eyes and the sound of angry screeching the last things he remembered before he fell back into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out! Let me know what you think!


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or Marvel unfortunately...

The moment Percy grabbed Loki's hand ( _and didn't that sound like some romantic comedy movie?_ ), he felt a tug in his navel. Somehow, he had closed his eyes, and he felt as though he was traveling in limbo. He thought he heard the screeches of the chitauri, which sent faint tremors of fear into his heart, but he never let go of the hand.

It was a jolting transition that brought them back to the physical world. Percy's eyes snapped open, and he was rewarded with the sight of white-washed walls and sterile air. He blinked a few times, feeling like a fish out of water, excuse the analogy. He gasped, breathing in deeply, the medicinal smell of hospitals and clinic comforting him for once. He blinked again, noticing that Loki was sitting beside him, coughing up a storm, their hands still connected. He quickly pulled away, shocking the god into awareness.

Loki's eyes widened, "Perseus wait!"

Percy's eyes widened, "Wha-?"

He doubled over, crashing into the trickster god, sending them both to the floor. He gasped, gripping the god tightly as pain radiated throughout his body. He wanted to scream, but the pain paralyzed him. He heard people shouting in the background but he couldn't make his body react. He felt as though he was held underwater, the familiar feeling of drowning coming back to him again-everything was so muted-he couldn't draw breath-what was _wrong_ with him?

When Loki felt Percy draw his hand away from him, he immediately snapped back into awareness, and cursed himself for forgetting to warn him. it was such an amateurish mistake, and he cursed again when he saw Percy's eyes grow vacant, his body slamming into his. Loki had forgotten that he was on the edge of the bed, and the added weight on him brought them both to the floor, Loki twisting his body such that Percy fell on him.

He cursed again, dragging himself into a half-sitting half-kneeling position as he tried to shake Percy out of the pain filled daze. He pulled Percy into his lap, gripping his head tightly, trying to get him to focus on his voice.

The avengers barging in didn't help any, if anything they further aggravated the boy. His body was reacting instinctively to the noise, but what he needed now was silence and focus. The mind was a dangerous thing, and Loki cursed silently for forgetting the boy's condition when he got to the chitauri's home planet. He snarled at the avengers, trying to get them out of the room, but they took it as a sign of provocation. Only when Loki glare at Thor, trying to get him to understand, did his brother finally get the message. The golden prince herded the avengers out of the infirmary, assuring them that his brother knew what he was doing.

Loki waved his hands and the door slammed shut. As a precaution, he reinforced the door with a spell, so none of them would enter unnecessarily and disrupt the process. He gripped Percy's head, mirroring his movement earlier and pushed his thoughts into Percy's mind. He could not communicate with him verbally so he chose the telepathic way instead. Using his magic, Loki used a similar numbing spell as the one he used on Percy in the chitauri's home world. The effect was almost instantaneous.

Percy blinked at the sudden absence of pain. He swallowed, the pain had disappeared so quickly that he was left wondering if t wasn't just his imagination. He looked up at Loki, realizing that he was in the other man's lap, but too drained of energy to care. "What…?" he asked, exhaustion lacing his voice.

Loki looked at him, "I apologize," he said stiffly, "I had forgotten that your injuries would have carried over-"

"Wait, you mean I'm full of holes now?"

"No you foolish Halfling." Loki said, scowling, "Your injuries, which you sustained on the chitauri's home planet were inflicted on your mind. But the pain is nonetheless real, and when I brought your consciousness back to your physical body, your mind was trying to marry the fact that your physical body was unharmed with the knowledge that you had undergone extensive torture."

Percy blinked, feeling a heavy weight settle on his eyelids. "What, okay… I just…"

Loki moved to stand up, "Sleep Perseus, I promise that you will wake properly this time." He said, carrying the already sleeping boy onto the bed.

The trickster god waved a hand, dispelling the spell he had placed on the door. Almost immediately, the avengers all barged in. Barton barreled in first, gripping the front of his shirt and slamming him against the wall. Loki gazed dispassionately back at him, while Barton snarled, " _What the hell did you do to him?"_

Loki smirked back, ignoring the doctor who was fussing about the sleeping demigod*, and tilted his head challengingly, "I did nothing to him. in fact, you should be thanking me for bringing him back."

Clint snarled and slammed him against the wall again, "You fucking asshole, he was screaming his head off, we all saw, and you were the only one in there with him so _what the hell did you do?_ "

Before Loki could answer, Steve butted in, "Barton, stand down. Now." When Clint didn't move, Steve barked out, "Hawkeye, I said stand down!"

Clint bared his teeth at the god, shoving him once and stepping back. Steve gave a meaningful look to Natasha, who stepped beside Clint and dragged him out of the infirmary, whispering in his ear as they left the level. Loki stood by the wall, straightening his tunic, brushing off invisible specks of dirt. Steve turned to Bruce, asking, "How is he?"

Bruce replied, "He's fine, really just sleeping now, his brain waves are showing the normal signals now. But I don't know what happened before…"

Tony snorted, glaring at the god of lies, "Well, we do know what happened. Rudolph here did something to him. Obviously."

Loki smirked, "Name-calling Stark? How petty."

Tony glared at him, wanting to punch the god in the face, but Thor beat him to it, gripping his brother's arm tightly, "What have you done Loki?"

Loki's eyes flashed dangerously, "Oh so now it is I who has done something wrong is it? I have helped you bring back your youngest member from where his mind had wandered to, more than what you mortals have done and at your oh so polite request," he mocked, "And now you accuse me of having done something untoward to him. How honorable oh mighty Thor!" he snarled.

Steve strode forward to place a placating hand on Thor's arm, "Thor, don't. Loki," he said, turning to the god, "We all saw him screaming while you were holding him. the most logical conclusion was that you had done something to him."

Loki scoffed, "Of course he was in pain, you foolish mortals. He'd been held captive and tortured by your enemies, or did you perhaps think that he went on a vacation?" he sneered sarcastically.

The four avengers all exchanged shocked looks, Steve narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?" he demanded.

Loki sneered, "His mind was taken by the chitauri, obviously he would have been trapped with them. Did you think he feasted and celebrated with them?"

The avengers were all stunned at this revelation, and a part of Loki's mind leapt up in vicious delight. He blinked, trying to stave off the darkness that threatened to overcome him. Apparently, he wasn't as discreet as he thought he was since Thor frowned and looked at him, "Brother are you well?"

Slightly thrown off by the sudden question, Loki replied, "Yes I am. Though that is none of your concern." He yanked his arm away from his brother's grip, walking out of the infirmary, "Where do you mortals dine? I require sustenance."

Tony, Steve, Thor and Bruce all stared after him. "Did he just…?" Tony began. Bruce sighed and rubbed his hands together, "Yeah I think he did. Come on, we better make sure he doesn't destroy anything."

The four avengers all followed Loki out of the infirmary, allowing Percy to get the rest he deserved.

* * *

Percy felt as though he was underwater. Okay, not the best analogy since he could hear everything perfectly fine underwater, but he felt as if his ears were clogged up and his mouth stuffed with cotton. He tried to claw his way out of Morpheus' realm**. He blinked sleepily, wondering absently why the chitauri didn't wake him up in their usual way. He opened his eyes slowly, and was greeted by sterile lights above him. He blinked again, but the whitewashed ceiling didn't disappear. Percy moved his hand experimentally, and started in surprise when he found that it wasn't restrained.

 _What the Hades?_ He thought.

He flinched back when a hand landed on his shoulder, looking up to see Bruce standing above him, a kind look in his eyes. "Percy? Are you feeling better?"

Percy blinked, then scooted away from him, hissing, "What the hell are you playing at now?"

Bruce's eyes widened in confusion, "Percy what…?" he said, reaching a hand out, only to have it slapped back.

"Don't touch me!"

They had a miniature standoff, before comprehension dawned on Bruce. "Percy," he said gently, "You're in the avengers tower now, you're not with the chitauri anymore."

Percy eyed him suspiciously, but did not react in any way; Bruce took that as a sign to continue, "Loki brought you back. He said," Bruce paused, "he said that you were on the chitauri's home planet. Well, your mind at least. He brought you back. And that you had…suffered while you were there. Which is why you collapsed when you came back."

Percy ran his through his memories, he had vague impressions of bright green eyes staring into him, a body pressed against his and a low voice whispering in his ear. He frowned, blushing lightly, "Those," he coughed, "those were real?" he said hoarsely. Bruce nodded, getting up to pour a glass of water for Percy. "Yeah, he said that when he used his magic to transfer your mind back, some kind of discrepancy happened, I'm not too sure how to describe it to you though… I'm not an expert on magic." Bruce shrugged sheepishly.

Percy shook his head mutely, carefully sipping his water. He had suffered enough injuries to know that he had been deprived of water for a lengthy period of time and he shouldn't consume it too fast but he didn't care at this point of time. He gulped the entire glass down, relishing in the cool sensation of it trickling down his throat.

He cleared his throat again, deciding to take this situation step by step, "So," he started, "Where is he? Loki, I mean."

Bruce cocked his head in surprise, "Loki? Uh, last I checked, he was still in the living room…"

"What is he doing there?"

"Well, the rest of the avengers don't want to let him out of their sight. They're afraid that he'll be wreaking havoc somewhere else if they don't keep an eye on him. They're still discussing about where to put him." Bruce said.

Percy frowned, "Still? How long have they been discussing already? And how long have I been out?"

Bruce smiled, "About a day."

Percy felt his eyes widen, "A day? And they haven't come to any conclusion…?"

Bruce sighed, "Yes well, I was up there with them at first, but they kept going in circles. They don't know where to put him."

"Why? Shouldn't he stay with his brother?"

"Well, Thor did offer, but we all felt that it wasn't a good idea because Thor was biased towards him. Besides, Loki might take advantage of his sentiment to trick him or something. We also agreed that he shouldn't stay with me, because the other guy still hates him. and no one wants to deal with the Hulk daily…"

"Huh." Percy said, "Then the rest? I don't see Clint hosting him anytime soon."

Bruce grinned tiredly, "You're right about that, Tony vehemently denied as well. Saying that he didn't want to put up with a homicidal maniac who threw him out a window. That leaves Steve, but even he is unsure of Loki. The others don't want Loki to stay with Steve, something about not wanting him to corrupt the Captain, or whatever Tony said." Bruce smiled, " That, and giving him a level on his own is completely out of the question, even though JARVIS could still keep an eye on him. Figuratively speaking."

Bruce shrugged, "Who knows what kind of chaos he'd bring if he stayed alone. So yeah, back to square one. They should be debating on whether to put him with Steve or with Thor now."

Percy nodded, taking in all the information. He really needed to talk to Loki soon… He was struck by an idea, a completely insane idea, one that screamed 'Percy Jackson came up with it!' on it. He turned to Bruce, "You said that he doesn't have anywhere to bunk?"

"No." Bruce said slowly, "Why?"

Percy looked at him and grinned, a gleam in his eyes that sent warning bells ringing in Bruce's mind.

* * *

"Excuse me but he said _what?_ " Tony exclaimed. He had gone down to his lab after giving his two cents on where Loki was supposed to crash, (really, no one except Thor or Steve cared whether or not he slept on the streets) but he came back up after JARVIS announced that Bruce was coming back up to the living room.

Bruce sighed, he'd been doing a lot of that lately, "I'm not repeating myself Tony."

Tony stared at him, then rounded on Steve, "Come on Capsicle, even you can see that this is a bad idea. In fact, this is the worst idea in the history of all bad ideas!"

Steve scrunched his eyes together, "Enough Tony, let me think. And don't call me that."

Tony threw his hands in the air exasperatedly, "Am I, the _only one in this goddamned room_ , who thinks this is a freaking bad idea?"

He whirled around, watching all of the other avengers keep silent, "You've gotta be kidding me. Clint, what the fuck, back me up here, you can't possibly think this is a good idea right?"

Clint scowled, not wanting to be drawn into the argument again, "I'm not letting him near me." He said stiffly.

"That isn't even the fucking problem!" Tony shouted, "Come on Bruce! You know it's a bad idea. Letting that crazed god near him?"

Thor frowned at the insult at his brother, but Tony was on a roll.

"And Steve! Even you have to see it, why should the kid get to put up with Loki of all people? He's our problem!"

"Well," Steve said, glaring at Tony, "None of us wants to put up with him right? He can't be on the same level with Thor because you all said that he'd be biased. You announced to all and sundry that you didn't want to host him either."

Tony glared back, jutting out his chin defiantly, "Oh so _now_ it's my fault eh? I just make one comment, and suddenly, this becomes my entire problem! I'm just looking out for the youngest member of this tower, well I'm sorry if I don't want to expose him to that fucking maniac anytime soon!"

Steve sighed angrily, "This is not about you Tony, why do you have to make everything always about you? Is this some sort of egotistical-"

"Egotistical what? Now you're calling my ego into question? We're fucking off topic here-"

"I take offense, my brother may have gone mad but even he would never willingly harm a child-"

"Oh yeah right, never willingly harm a child, there were hundreds of children in New York back then-"

"There is no guarantee that Loki will not try to find a loophole and cause harm. Percy is not part of the avengers-"

"ENOUGH!" Bruce roared, his irises turning green. Everyone froze and the room became silent. He breathed heavily, trying to get his anger back under control. He didn't want the other guy to make an appearance here. Not now.

"Bruce…" Steve said warily. Bruce opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) to see the avengers in various defensive positions. Steve had apparently pushed Tony behind him, Thor was gripping Mjolnir tightly and both assassins had their hands hovering over their guns. He breathed in and out, calming himself down, "I'm sorry about that."

"You okay there Bruce?" Tony asked, stepping out from behind Steve, ignoring Steve's slight frown. He didn't particularly care about the Hulk, Bruce was his friend, and he wouldn't be afraid of his friend. Besides, the other guy liked him enough anyway.

Bruce nodded silently. "Percy was the one who offered to let Loki stay on his level. It makes the most sense. I cannot put him up because the other guy hates him. The only other logical option is Steve, but you all are concerned that Loki may manipulate Steve if he is left alone with him. Percy has not had direct contact with Loki before, he won't be biased when it comes to him." Bruce took a deep breath before continuing, "And he can take care of himself."

Clint scowled, "What if he manipulates the kid? Who knows what goes on in that fucked up mind of his."

Bruce frowned, "I don't think he'll do that. I don't think Loki will harm him. No, don't look at me like that, if he wanted to hurt him, he would have just left Percy comatose. And yes, I know that it could be a ploy, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of doubt. I don't know how to say it, but I get the feeling that Percy is the one person he won't harm." He looked at the avengers, having finished his little speech.

After a moment, Steve nodded, then sighed, "Unfortunately, I agree with Bruce. It seems to be the best option we have. I don't know if I can control myself around Loki either. No, Tony, don't look at me like that, that guy sets me off. That's settled then, Loki will move in with Percy. We'll lay down the ground rules with him."

He turned around, looking for the trickster god, only to frown, "Where's Loki?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This is in Loki's POV, so to him, Percy is a demigod. If it was one of the avengers, except Thor, they'd be calling Percy a mutant.
> 
> ** Morpheus, the god of dreams and sleep. Usually demigods say Morpheus' realm, or at least, what I think they say as in the series.
> 
>  
> 
> Please leave a review on your way out! :)


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As usual, nope, don't own Marvel/PJO... :(
> 
>  
> 
> Colts12broncos18, you really make me blush with your wonderful comments! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm! :)

Percy lounged on the bed for all of thirty seconds before he decided that he had stayed in the infirmary for far too long. He shifted on the bed, placing his feet on the ground, heaving himself up. Percy grabbed onto one of the monitors beside his bed, feeling his legs quiver like they were made of jelly. He scowled, glaring accusingly at his legs, he knew it was due to his extended time in bed, but that only proved how much he hated hospitals. Granted, this wasn't exactly a hospital, but the idea was the same. He took a tentative step forward, and when he didn't immediately collapse, he quickly scurried out of the infirmary.

He paused at the door, listening intently for the doctor/Hulk, keeping an eye out for any sign of him. He breathed a sigh of relief when Bruce didn't appear, he had bad experiences with doctors trying to catch their escaping patients after all, and if Bruce was anything like the Apollo campers... Well, Percy quickly made his way to the lift, ignoring JARVIS wry comment of " _you're not supposed to leave the infirmary Mr Jackson."  
_

He shrugged noncommittally, absently wondering how JARVIS could sound wry when he was technically speaking, a machine.

He'd almost made it to the lift when- "Are you sure you are supposed to be up and walking?"

He yelped and jumped up in the air, whirling around to glare at the smirking trickster god. Clutching his hand to his chest, he growled, "And aren't you supposed to be upstairs?"

Loki smirked, moving off from the wall he had been leaning on, _"Please,_ " the god drawled, "The mortals are as bad as Asgard's council. They have been deciding on my lodgings and my...fate, since the night before. I have no wish to sit idly and wait for them to arrive at a conclusion."

Percy stared at him, raising an eyebrow, "Lodging? Who says that anymore?" he blurted before he could help himself.

Loki just scowled at him. The boy-hero raised his hands in surrender, "Not my problem, and if you're bored, why the hell did you come down here anyway?"

Loki grinned, leaning forward, "Perhaps I just find you…interesting."

Percy raised a dubious eyebrow, "Me? Interesting? Nope. Nothing interesting here. Just completely normal."

The god snorted, moving to the lift, Percy following him, he did need to make an escape to his room anyway, "There is _nothing_ normal about you half-blood," he said, stepping into the lift. Percy instructed JARVIS to take them to his floor. "In fact," the god continued, "I should not have been surprised you are with the avengers."

Percy shook his head, "Nah, I'm not part of the avengers, I'm only here on some private business. And please, don't call me half-blood."

Loki gave him a shrewd look, "Private business? I would hardly call dealing with the power gem, private business."

Percy started, looking at the other raven head in surprise, "How…?"

They both stepped out of the lift, Loki looking around at the- _still_ \- sparsely decorated place. Percy had not thought to decorate a place which he would be staying in temporarily (in his defense, at the time, he thought it was only for a short while) and it wasn't as though he had a lot of possessions anyway.

The god whirled around and grabbed Percy's right wrist and dragged it up to eye level, ignoring the boy's indignant cry. Percy tried to yank his hand back, shifting instinctively into a defensive position, but the god had a firm grip on his wrist, and no matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't get out of the iron grip. 

Percy was one hairsbreadth away from summoning a weapon when Loki held his captured hand up, carefully not touching the red artifact encircled around Percy's wrist, "You have the power gem on your wrist, you were taken by the chitauri, in a manner of speaking, and this gem is active. It is not hard, as you mortals say, to put two and two together."

Percy looked at his wrist, truth be told, he had forgotten all about the gem. "You called it the power gem, that's what the chitauri said as well. Right before they transported me to that wasteland."

Loki looked at it, feeling the siren call of its power sing to him, he released his grip on Percy's hand, turning away, "That is its name, or rather, the closest thing in your terms that we can call it."

"And you said it was active, what's that supposed to mean? Is it gonna blow up or something?"

"You mortals and your imagination." Loki sighed, "No, you have been able to utilize the gem as a weapon yes?" he looked at Percy, who nodded.

"Well yeah, the chitauri came after that."

Loki rolled his eyes, glaring accusingly at Percy, "Of course they would come, they are drawn to the gem like flies to honey. Using it as you did was an open invitation for them to come knocking."

Percy scowled, crossing his arms over his chest defensively, "Yeah well we needed to know what it does, how was I supposed to know that it would attract the chitauri?"

The god opened his mouth to continue, but was cut short by the sound of the lift arriving.

And the sound of six avengers toppling into the room.

Loki stared at them, irritation bubbling within him as the avengers ignored his presence in the room entirely. Percy on the other hand, was not as lucky, and he ended up with a face full of a disgruntled and highly annoyed doctor Banner and a loud-mouthed Tony Stark. (Because the other man had let go of his hand immediately and left him to deal with the heroes, the bastard) Between the doctor's rants of "I told you _not_ to leave the infirmary!" and Tony's incoherent babble of excitement, well, it sounded incoherent to Percy, and being bombarded by various sounds of concern, Percy was developing a migraine, fast, and he was on the verge of icing all of them to the floor when Steve's command of "Everyone stop!" caused all the avengers to calm down- sort of- and back away from Percy. Except Bruce, but the doctor was stilled annoyed that his patient had ran off when he had explicit orders _not_ to do so.

Percy raised his eyebrow at all of them once they had all calmed down substantially, "What made you run down here like a herd of deer?"

Clint jutted his head in Loki's direction, sneering, "Him."

Percy looked back and forth between them warily, he knew about Clint's short time of service under the god, and the hatred that the archer still held towards him. He didn't comment on their actions though, choosing instead to ask, "And all of you had to come down because…?"

Steve sighed, he signaled for the avengers to leave. Unsurprisingly, Tony and Bruce both stayed. Clint left with a glare at the god, who remained unaffected and who was also pointedly ignoring his brother's pleading looks. Steve rubbed his face tiredly, "I was supposed to tell you alone," he said, "but Tony and Bruce wanted to see you, and when JARVIS told us that Loki was with you, Clint and Thor wanted to follow immediately and Natasha isn't likely to let Clint confront Loki alone."

Percy blinked, his face betrayed no emotion, but inwardly he was surprised, he hadn't known that they'd cared about him that much.

"So," Percy began, not wanting to dwell on that subject for long, "What did you want to talk about?"

Steve gestured for them to sit, and each of them took a place on the couch, with the exception of Loki, who had chosen to take a window view of New York, drawing back into his shell. He didn't see the confused look that Percy gave him before he went to join the avengers.

"You know about why he, uh, Loki is here right?" Steve asked, a tad uncomfortably.

Percy nodded, crossing his legs, "Yeah, Doctor Banner briefed me about it. I don't know the details though."

Steve nodded, "Alright, here's the condensed version…"

* * *

Loki stood by the windows, watching the darkening skyline of New York. The placed looked different from when he'd invaded a scant three Midgardian years ago. They seemed to have rebuilt their towering structures fairly quickly from the destruction he'd caused. A lazy smirk graced his lips, he ignored the hushed conversation behind him, scanning the skyline absentmindedly. He knew that he would not be able to get far if he escaped, but it didn't mean that he would obey the avengers like a common mutt.

Loki bared his teeth in a silent snarl, watching his reflection snarl back at him, _how dare the Allfather treat me like a mutt, an animal to be used by others._

A second voice at the back of his head piped up, _was it not your choice to come down here?_

Loki hissed under his breath, annoyed by the mutterings in his head. Anywhere was better than rotting in the bowels of the golden realm. He froze when his gaze landed on the Empire State Building, the golden structure gleaming in the dimming sunlight as it stood proud and tall. His gaze went upwards, and upwards, and upwards some more, until it rested on the faint outline of a city floating above the building.

Looking directly at it did not work, for there was nothing to see, but if he looked away, he could vaguely spot the city's outline in the corner of his eye… He wondered at the power used to conceal the city, if it could affect even gods. Loki breathed out slowly, acknowledging the presence of twelve of the most powerful beings on this realm. He did not know what possessed him to launch an invasion into this particular city of the whole of Midgard. _Courage perhaps,_ he thought, _or maybe insanity._

Either way, it left him slightly confused. He was sure that he'd known of their presence before ever invading Midgard but…

He shook his head, what was more puzzling was that he was still alive. If his memory served him correctly, the last few who had challenged the Olympians were now somewhere in their version of Helheim*. Loki sighed, he did not know why the Olympians didn't blast him into a million pieces, Norns know that it would have been their form of defense.

He looked discreetly at Percy Jackson through the window's reflective surface, the boy was wasting his potential by staying with the mortals. He focused on the world outside again, feeling more clear-headed than he had felt in years. He could envision the glittering ocean somewhere further out, and a pang of sadness ran through him.

Almost immediately, he straightened up, his gaze hardening into a glare, he was Loki Silvertongue, he would not be seen as weak by these mortals. He was brought out of his musings when his name was called.

Plastering a smirk on his face, he turned around, knowing it would rile up the mortals. "Finally done with your useless discussions then? Mortals," he chuckled, undeterred by the glare the man of iron sent him, "So petty."

Percy sighed at the god's antics, he had been on the receiving end of far more cruel people than the avengers sitting around him after all, and Loki wasn't as bad as some of them, "Yes, we're done. And they were just informing me of what's happening and why you're here. Caught between a rock and a hard place hmm?" he smirked, enjoying the flash of irritation on the god's face.

Steve sighed, then continued, "Loki, you'll be staying with Percy on this level. You are in no way allowed to harm him. He may not be an avenger, but if you hurt him, you get to deal with all of us. Am I clear?" Steve said sternly.

Loki cocked his head to one side, taking in the tense postures of the man of iron and the skin-changer**, drawing out the silence, enjoying the way they squirmed. Smirking, he nodded his assent. "Well then," he drawled, stepping away from the window, "Where are my quarters?"

Tony gritted his teeth, "You fucking pretentious bastard-"

Percy stood up quickly, overriding whatever Tony was about to say, "You can have the room opposite mine. I'll show you."

He gestured for Loki to move first, following after him. He felt Steve grab his arm and pull him back, saying in an undertone, "Are you sure you don't want any of us to move here with you?"

Percy shook his head, "It's alright, I know you're all affected by his presence here, and I can handle myself." He said gently but firmly, reminding Steve tat while he was significantly younger than any of them, he was first and foremost a SHIELD agent, and that he could handle himself.

Steve looked at him with concern, hating that he was practically leaving a child to deal with the most manipulative being they had ever known because he couldn't deal with his own emotions around said being, "Very well then, I'll leave you to it. If he does anything…"

"I know," Percy replied, almost exasperatedly, "I'll call you."

Steve nodded, and he herded the other two avengers into the lift.

Percy's face wiped of all emotion, he briskly followed after the trickster god, finding him surveying his designated room. leaning against the doorway, the boy-hero said sarcastically, "Is this adequate enough for your needs your majesty?"

Loki shot him a venomous glare, making Percy smirk devilishly. "It is meager." The god commented, "But well enough. Given the circumstances."

"Great!" Percy said, clapping, "Now we can discuss other stuff." He stepped into the room, as the god turned around completely to face him.

He narrowed his eyes at the other man, "I don't trust you." He said bluntly, ignoring the god's amused expression, "And I'm pretty sure that you don't trust me either." Loki inclined his head, showing his agreement.

"But I respect the need for privacy, so first, don't enter my room without my permission unless it's absolutely necessary. I won't do the same to your room either. I'm going to trust the fact that you won't be planning anything against the occupants of this tower. Then again, from what they told me, its not like you could do anything to them anyway."

The god smirked, "You do not consider yourself one of them?"

Percy ignored the jab and continued, "I'm guessing that the avengers told you about whether you'd be eating with them?"

Loki gave into the urge to roll his eyes (again) and nodded, "If by eating you mean mealtime arrangements then yes I am aware of the fact that I will be joining them." He scowled disgustedly at the thought.

Percy smirked, correctly interpreting his facial expression, "Deal with it princess. I don't know if you're allowed to use the gym, my guess is yes but you'll have to check with JARVIS."

Loki sighed, "You are almost as bad as the mortals." He rolled his eyes (one day he'd roll them out of his head...), "I get it, any last instructions?" he said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Percy scowled, "Yes actually, how the hell did Thor not realize what this was?" he said, bringing his wrist up to show the blood red artifact.

Loki rolled his eyes, moving to inspect the bathroom, "Of course he does not know, dim-witted fool he is. It could be staring at him right in the face and he would not even comprehend what it is."

Percy frowned, he pressed on, "And this isn't important?"

Loki paused in his inspection, "I assume that the Allfather," he spat the name out, "would have told his _precious_ son about the situation in the Nine Realms."

Percy glanced suspiciously at him, but filed the information away to be brought up at another time. "One more question." He said, "Why did you save me?"

Loki froze, turning his head slightly to glance at Percy from the corner of his eye. "Should I not have? It is in my best interest to do so."

"Yeah well, your terms of confinement includes helping the avengers. I'm not part of them, but you still helped me. Why? What is in it for you?"

Loki stood in silence, contemplating his answer. "I have no reason to provide you with an answer, perhaps your little brain can come up with one." He said finally. Percy scowled, "What the hell? You owe me an answer you annoying-"

Loki rounded on him, hissing, "I owe you _nothing_ child. I have a right not to respond to your question." Sensing Percy's protest, he sneered, "Is that not what you mortals are so fond of? Rights?" He glared at the hero and turned to his room.

Just before he entered it, he said over his shoulder, "As dishonorable as I may seem to the majority, I would not let my name be tarnished further by not repaying what was owed out of mere spite. I have many names, I do not wish for oath-breaker to be one of them."

Percy blinked, his heart still pounding from the rapid mood change of one trickster god, "What?"

The trickster god spun around and stalked towards him, coming nose to nose with him, "Do not make me repeat myself. That is all I will say on this matter, now get out."

Percy scowled, glaring at the god who glared right back, "Hey! You can't just say something like that then tell me to forget about it!"

Loki's glare intensified, "I said. Get. Out."

Percy jumped back as the enraged god slammed the door shut. He blinked, scowling fiercely, "What the Hades is his problem? Bipolar god…"

He huffed and returned to his room, running a hand over his sword. The cold metal comforting him.

He would get his answers tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Helheim- Supposedly, Helheim is located within the realm Niflheim, where the queen, Hela, rules, although there are some versions that separate the two places as different realms. Either way, I'm taking this as Niflheim is the equivalent of the Underworld and Helheim as the equivalent of Tartarus. Yes I am aware that this may not be true, and that Helheim might just be a realm where the dead go to in general. But since this is fanfiction, I'll take any liberties I can. XD
> 
> **Loki doesn't call the Hulk as Hulk, he would think of Bruce as a skin-changer or a shape-shifter.
> 
> Please do leave a review and let me know how the story is! :)


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Marvel sadly...

Percy rolled around on his bed, his eyes flickering rapidly underneath his eyelids. The sheets tangled around him as he moved, subconsciously attempting to get away from an unseen attacker. He woke with a gasp and jolted upright, panting, sweat dripping down his brow. He couldn't remember his dream, but he remembered the all consuming terror and blackness that surrounded him.

Percy rubbed his face tiredly, _probably something related to Tartarus._ He thought, _throw in some chitauri shit too_. He looked over at the digital clock on his bedside, the LED numbers glowing happily in the darkness. He groaned, falling back on the bed, _how the hell is it only three in the morning?_ He grumbled to himself. Sighing, he got out of bed; there was no chance of him catching more sleep now, at least not after such a nightmare. Ruffling his hair sleepily, he padded into the bathroom, sighing as he did, _at least it wasn't a dream._

He splashed water onto his face, the cold shocking him into awareness. Percy stared at the mirror, he never considered himself narcissistic, but he grimaced at his own reflection. He looked haggard, tired and withdrawn. He had lost some weight from being fed intravenously, but the man staring back at him seemed far older than his actual age. His eyes were ringed with bags, emphasizing the haunted look in them, the lines on his face becoming more pronounced than ever. In short, he looked like hell warmed over.

Percy snorted, the morbid thought sending him into near hysterical laughter as he doubled over, gripping the sides of the basin tightly. It wasn't that farfetched of a description, that hellish planet certainly fit into that category. But it still had nothing on Tartarus. Percy sighed, it seemed that his thoughts were to be on that pit tonight.

He walked out of his room, intending to head to the gym to let out some steam, but as he passed by Loki's room, he heard some weird noises. Pausing, he held his breath, listening closely even though his instincts were telling him to ignore whatever was going on in that room. He heard a shuffle, and crept closer, his face almost plastered against the door. He heard another shuffle, and muffled voices within the room. Stepping back in alarm, he raised a hand to knock, but hesitated, unsure if he should interfere with the god's issues.

He whispered, "JARVIS, what's happening in there?"

A beat of silence, then- _scans indicate that Mr Odinson is suffering from a nightmare Mr Jackson. His heart rate is elevated; there is an increase in blood pressure and perspiration. Also, his movements indicate that he is currently still sleeping, but trapped in REM*._

Percy cursed, his hand hovering hesitantly over the doorknob. He didn't want to go in, at least, not while the god was asleep, but he couldn't in good conscience leave the god in the thresholds of a nightmare, he knew how much it sucked to have one, and if his assumption was right, then Loki was haunted by that hellish planet as well. He cursed under his breath and reached out and grasped the doorknob, rattling it vigorously, cursing under his breath, he instructed JARVIS to unlock the door.

He slammed the door open, vaguely wondering why the loud sound didn't wake the god, but that was soon forgotten as he saw the thrashing god on the bed.

He slid to the side of the bed, grasping the god's shoulders tightly, shaking him. "No," the god moaned, "Not them, never them."

Percy didn't have time to think about that, as the god arched up, his mouth open in a silent scream. He slapped the god, shouting in his ear, and shaking him vigorously, "Loki! Loki, wake up! It's just a dream!"

He did this for several more moments, until the god finally gasped. Percy breathed a sigh of relief, he knew that the god had woken up, and relaxed slightly.

That was his first mistake.

Almost immediately, Loki surged forward and grabbed Percy by the neck, the momentum carrying both of them over the bed. Percy landed on the floor, his breath knocked out of him for a moment, but a moment was enough for the trickster god to wind his hands around the boy's throat.

Percy bucked, fingers grasping at the hands at his throat, trying to alleviate the pressure on his neck. He snarled, "Loki! Wake up!"

But the god pressed down harder, bright, cold blue eyes boring into his own emerald ones. Percy cursed in his head, bringing his knee up, slamming it into the god's groin. With a flash of guilt, he brought his leg in between them and kicked the god away, getting into a crouching position just as Loki pounced on him again. He balanced on the balls of his feet, gripping the god's wrists.

He hissed, letting go of the god temporarily and dived to the side, using his momentum against him as Loki fell forward. He whirled around and slammed the god into the ground, their positions reversed.

Concentrating, he pressed the god's wrist against the ground, binding them to the ground as he created ice restrains. The ice wrapped around the god's waist and legs, pinning him completely to the ground.

Percy got up, breathing heavily from the adrenaline in his veins, "JARVIS," he said, _yes sir?_ "Don't – tell - anyone - about this." He muttered, slightly out of breath. He slapped the god again.

Loki blinked, his eyes fading back to its usual poisonous green. Percy breathed a sigh of relief, again, and fell back on the floor.

Loki panted for while, feeling like he had been chased by a bilgesnipe. He raised his head slightly, staring at Percy, who stared back warily. "What-?"

"You were having a nightmare." Percy said wryly, a hand reaching up to rub his neck, "One hell of a nightmare."

Loki blinked, trying to get some semblance of dignity back when he felt cold creeping up his wrists. He looked at them, seeing the ice binding them, his eyes widened in horror. He tugged, trying to get his wrists away, hearing Percy's alarmed cry "Hey don't, wait I'll remove it!" but ignoring it.

Percy finally melted the ice, causing the god to scramble up, rubbing his wrists, but the damage had already been done. Loki stared in horror as blue spread out from where the ice had bound his wrists, spreading up his arm and his entire body. He knew that if he were to look in a mirror now, his blood red eyes would be staring back at him.

Percy's eyes widened in surprise as the god seemed to – change – before him, becoming entirely blue. His skin had raised markings on them, and his eyes had turned a demonic red. Those same red eyes glanced at him in horror, before it clouded over with anger, the changed god snarled, gripping him by his shirt and practically throwing him out of the room, "Get out, GET OUT!"

Percy held his hands up, even as he was manhandled by the god, "Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't- I was just trying to help, I swear!"

Loki sneered at him, red eyes gleaming dangerously in the dark, " _I don't need your help Halfling!_ "

He slammed the door behind him.

Percy was left staring at the door. He rubbed his throat absently, the area quickly becoming sore. He still couldn't believe what had happened.

The silence of the level was deafening in the wake of the chaos that had occurred mere moments earlier. He swallowed, wincing slightly as it aggravated the sore tissue. He had thought that Loki was Asgardian*, and he didn't think that Thor ever changed colors like that. He stifled a laugh, his exhausted mind providing him with the image of a chameleon.

He didn't think it'd be a good idea to laugh when Loki could hear him. The god had seemed so –horrified – at the prospect of turning blue, even though Percy didn't really see anything wrong with it. Though, in his defense, he had lived in a place where dryads melted from trees and naiads lived in the water before.

He shook his head, softly instructing JARVIS again not to tell anyone of tonight's activity, heading to the gym.

* * *

Loki leaned against the door; his chest heaving as though he had ran for days. He closed his eyes, fervently trying to push down the feeling of nausea rising up in him. He swallowed harshly, hissing in anger. _How dare he, how dare he mock me like this after what I did to save his life!_ Loki snarled, punching the wall, watching cracks splinter out from where his fist met the concrete. He stared at his navy blue skin, eying the carvings in his skin with disgust. _A monster,_ his mind whispered traitorously, _a monster in disguise._

He held his hand up, turning the appendage back and forth as though it was not connected to him. He remembered that day clearly, the day when he found out that he was naught but a monster.

_The Bifrost spat them out onto an icy wasteland, the cold wind biting at their faces. The six of them walked in a point formation, with Thor heading and Loki covering the rear, the others fanning out around them, far enough to cover more space, but close enough to be in earshot. The ice crunched beneath their boots, and Loki winced, the sound echoing loudly in the silence. And what an unnatural silence it was. Save for the howling wind, the entire realm was devoid of noise and life. The ice beasts that roamed Jotunheim were missing as well, and there were no signs of any Jotuns whatsoever._

_Thor strode forward confidently, Mjolnir hanging loosely in his palm. "Where are all the Jotuns?" He heard Sif call out, her loud voice echoing around them. Loki could have snarled at her if it didn't mean attracting more attention to their ragtag little group._ Did they not know the meaning of subtlety? _Loki thought._ Well no, _he grumbled to himself, eyes darting everywhere to try and spot any Jotuns,_ I forgot that being loud and rambunctious is the only thing they are capable of.

" _They're hiding." He heard his brother reply, his voice booming, "Like the cowards they are."_

 _Loki did roll his eyes at that, was his brother truly such a fool? Could he not see the trap they were heading straight for? He gazed around, his hand itching to hold his trusted daggers, spying several shadows between the crevices formed by the fallen structures._ This must have once been a magnificent place, _he mused, eying the elaborate architecture of the place. But like everything on Jotunheim, it had been destroyed by the war._

_Loki flexed his hands, wanting to drive the shadows out, but he knew that that would give the Jotuns a chance to attack first instead, and he would have much preferred it if they got home unscathed._

" _Boo."_

 _He whirled around in shock, a dagger manifesting in his hands as he turned, the blade coming down on the person behind him. It hit the other's axe with a loud_ clang, _causing Loki to be startled, his eyes wide. Volstagg roared with laughter, his face red from his hysterics, "Look at you! Jumping around like a frightened mouse." The warrior's face split into a wide grin as Loki scowled, retracting his dagger. Volstagg laughed again, turning to the others who had all stopped and were looking at the two of them, "Did you see that? 'E's scared Thor!"_

_The other warriors laughed, while Thor just chuckled, "Nothing to be afraid of brother, the Jotuns are weak and pathetic. Even you would be able to take on them with your little tricks."_

_Loki's face burned, and the wide-girthed warrior just laughed again, "E's blushing Thor! You sure your brother ain't a woman?"_

_Sif snapped at him, "Oi! Watch who you call woman!"_

_Volstagg merely raised his hands in defense, "I meant no offense dear Sif!"_

_The warriors Three, Sif and Thor shared a laugh good naturedly, smirking at him mockingly._

_Loki remained silent throughout the whole trip, a pressure building behind his eyes. How he wished to rip a tear into space right there and then, let them all be sucked in and ripped apart by the void. Who would have the last laugh then?_

_He clenched his hands into fists, he wanted to show them how powerful his 'tricks' were. If they were to battle, he would not even need to lift a hand to defeat them. Loki gritted his teeth, pushing down the feeling of betrayal as Thor laughed along with them. Had his brother forgotten all that Loki had done for him?_

There is no point in putting them in their place, _Loki kept reminding himself,_ they would just get up and blame him for everything. As usual. _The trickster god was so lost in his musings that he had not realized that they had reached the palace of Jotunheim. He looked up in time to see his brother conversing with the Jotun King._

_As annoying as his brother was, and as much as Loki wanted to send his brother into the void for awhile, he still loved him, and it would not do for him to send Asgard into a war because he felt petty._

_He quickly walked forward, negotiating with Laufey and his brother, only to flinch back as his brother ordered him to stay back. "Know your place brother." Thor hissed in anger. Loki swallowed, letting Thor utilize his 'diplomacy' skills for a few seconds more before he interjected, accepting Laufey's proposal for them to leave Jotunheim without any major repercussions._

_He had felt triumph and that should have been his first warning sign because nothing ever_ ever _went smoothly for Loki Odinson._

_When he heard Laufey's snide comment, he could only close his eyes in resignation._

_The sound of bones snapping and crunching caused Loki's eyes to snap open. He watched disinterestedly as the Jotun flew past him, his brother raising Mjolnir in triumph._

_That was the cue for the battle to start. Soon, Loki lost track of where his companions were, he could only hear Thor's victorious roar and his glee at the prospect of battle, but Sif and the Warriors Three were lost to him. He fought like a whirlwind, spinning between enemies as he slashed at the thighs and legs before cutting them down. He used his size and speed to his advantage, weaving his way through the Jotuns. One swung its club down and he jumped to the side, the club slamming into the ice where he stood mere moments before. He stabbed the Jotun's thigh, causing it to scream in pain and collapse. As it did, he brought his other dagger up to slit its throat, yanking out his dagger from its thigh in the same movement._

_He felt his magic surge to life beneath his skin, smirking as his eyes glowed an ethereal green, the Jotuns around him shifting hesitantly. Green fire licked his daggers, and he sprinted towards the Jotuns, using their bent bodies as footholds. He stepped on a Jotun's head, pivoted in air and brought his dagger down on its head, the metal sliding through the creature's skull and into its brain easily. He flicked his other hand, sending the dagger straight into another's chest. Almost immediately, another dagger materialized in his hands as he whirled around and slashed at the third Jotun's chest._

_He continued like that until there were three Jotuns left, all of them now wary of his attacks. They, like everyone else, had taken a look at his slight frame and his lack of a bulky weapon and assumed that he was easy pickings. He smirked at them, creating a double while beckoning them challengingly. One Jotun snarled and rushed forward, straight through his illusion and off the cliff, screaming as he fell from the edge._

_The other two hesitated, while he created yet another illusion, distracting them before launching off the pillar he had climbed and onto the Jotun's back. Distantly, he heard Volstagg scream in pain, felling a sense of vicious satisfaction course through him. He heard Volstagg's pain-filled warning to not get touched by the Jotuns as he stabbed both daggers into the Jotun he was on. He heard the creature scream in pain as the flames burned him from the inside out. Loki yanked his dagger upwards in a criss-cross fashion, lopping off the Jotuns head. He jumped off it and landed on the ground, rolling to a stand just in time to swing his dagger around._

_Before his swing could connect, he felt the Jotun grab his arm, and his eyes widened in horror, his dagger dropping into the snow. He pulled back frantically, waiting for the pain to hit, but even though his armor disintegrated, he felt no pain when the Jotun's hand came into contact with his skin. He looked down, and saw blue spread out from where the Jotun was grabbing him._

_He glanced up, seeing the Jotun before him stare back at him in shock, Loki brought his left hand up and slashed the Jotun's throat, the creature releasing his arm as its body fell lifelessly to the ground.  
_

_He inspected his arm, which had faded to his original color now, and breathed heavily, a foreign pressure in his chest._ This cannot be possible, _he thought,_ a trick, a mere trick. That Jotun must have been a sorcerer.

_He could spend no more time convincing himself, because the battle was still raging all around him. Loki pushed his hysterics back to the back of his mind when he heard Fandral scream in pain. He looked up and saw that the blond warrior was impaled on a icicle, while the Jotuns surrounding him were closing in. He saw Thor, at the other edge of the plain, and Sif, Volstagg and Hogun desperately fighting through the throngs of Jotuns to get to their friend._

_He snarled, he hated the Warriors Three and Sif, but even he would not abandon a fellow warrior on a battlefield, he had more honor than that._

_Loki narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the space behind Fandral. Time seemed to slow down around him as he felt a tugging sensation at his navel. He felt as though he was pulled in different directions, and a heavy pressure pressed on him, trapping his breath within him. His world narrowed to the space between Fandral and the Jotun about to behead him, and with a_ snap _, Loki appeared behind the flirtatious warrior, his daggers above his head as the Jotun's ice sword slammed against it, the frost giant's eyes widening in shock. Loki snarled and pushed the sword off, throwing the Jotun off balance. He whirled around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the Jotun's midsection, sending it flying into its fellow warriors. He felt more than saw Sif and Hogun finally break through the circle of Jotuns and help ease Fandral off the icicle._

_Turning away from them, he missed the grateful look that Fandral sent him, and the triple shocked looks that Sif, Volstagg and Hogun had on their faces. He called out to Thor, using his magic to amplify his voice so his brother could hear him. "Thor! We need to leave now!"_

_Thor's expected response was well, expected, but annoying. Loki hissed under his breath, "That moronic idiot will get us all killed!"_

_Shockingly, he heard Sif agree with him, and he spared her an incredulous look while he told them all to maintain their positions._

_One of the pillars moved, and it revealed bright ruby eyes set on them. Realizing it was an ice beast, Loki then cursed, "Forget that. RUN!"_

_Him, Sif and the Warriors Three ran for their lives, the ice beast chasing after them. The ground splintered and cracked, pieces of it falling into an abyss. They were losing ground, while the beast was gaining on them. Loki was urging the Warriors Three onwards when he heard Sif cry out in terror. He turned around and saw her trip on the cracks, the beast right behind her._

_Loki sprinted to her side and pulled her out of the way, lashing out with his magic as the beast trampled past them. He made a deep gouge in its leg that took off several of its toes and left it unbalanced. The creature roared in pain, stopping its chase for a moment._

_A moment that was exploited by Thor as he flew straight through the beast's mouth and through its brain, leaving the creature dead._

_Loki sneered at the grateful looks the Warriors Three and Sif sent to Thor, his dagger gripped tightly in his hands, slick with blood._

_He knew the fight was over as the Bifrost came down on Jotunheim once more, revealing the Alffather in all his glory. Loki paid the exchange between his father and Laufey no attention, instead, he focused on not allowing the hysterics to come forth now that the battle was over, and the adrenaline receding. The journey back was all but a blur to him, even as his mind whispered traitorously to him,_ only a Jotun will not be burned by a fellow Jotun.

Loki screamed in anger, banishing the memories to the back of his mind. He lashed out at anything that he could get his hands on, the bed, the curtains, and the bedside table.

He stood alone in the middle of his destroyed room. Only then did his navy blue skin slowly fade back to a light skin tone. Loki held up his hands to his eyes, seeing blue instead of pale and he fell to his knees, voices resounding in his head.

" _Monster!"_

" _Good for nothing Jotun scum!"_

" _Pathetic creature, always knew he could not be trusted."_

" _I have nursed a snake on my breast!"_

" _All hail the king!"_

" _I will hunt them down and slay them all!"_

" _You're nothing more than a tool to be used godling."_

" _Who controls the would-be king?"_

" _If you fail, there is no crevice where you can hide, where we shall not find you."_

"ENOUGH!" Loki screamed, covering his ears, he panted heavily, his emerald eyes hooded. He clenched his hands into fists, the nails digging painfully into his palm. He breathed in slowly, a deep breath that went all the way down to his stomach. As he exhaled, he opened his eyes, his mask already in place. It would not do for the avengers to see his loss of control.

 _Although_ , Loki thought, grimacing at the mess he had made, _that might be too late._

* * *

Several realms away, in the folds of reality, three women sat at the foot of a massive tree, each taking turns to draw water from the well to water the roots of the tree. Their form flickered, as though they were characters from a bad television screening. The three women seemed well dressed one moment, beautiful and young, their faces set in a serene smile with nary a line on it. At other times, they seemed as old as time, their faces set in a grim smiled, the wrinkles on their faces and hands prominent. Their clothes were haggard and well-worn, as though it had seen much disaster.

The three women sat at the base of the tree, deeming it well watered for the time. They sat there, listening to the song of Yggdrasil, even as their form flickered, and in their hands were several balls of yarn.

The middle woman held up an oceanic green thread, the thread faded and frayed. She gazed sadly at it, "The hero has fallen greatly. He cannot remain as he is now."

Her sisters looked at the thread sadly as well, "There is nothing to be done Lachesis**, this is the path he chose." Clotho said, a golden thread spinning in her hands.

"I agree sister," Atropos said, her scissors teasing the frayed thread, "He has chosen to walk this path, he must finish it."

"Must he?" Lachesis asked her sisters, "You know what will happen if he does not take up the mantle."

Her sisters looked at her, curiosity shining in their eyes, "We cannot change Fate Lachesis," Clotho instructed, "Not even we the Fates are allowed to control it."

"No we cannot," Lachesis said, looking down at the worn thread in her hand, a foreign emotion in her heart, "We cannot help him anymore. He is near the end of this road."

She raised her head to Clotho, her face flickering into that of Skuld***, "Verdandi, sister, we cannot change his fate, but perhaps someone else can."

Clotho, now Verdandi, looked at the thread she was spinning, the golden thread gleamed, and she looked back at her sister who nodded.

Atropos, now Urd, looked at her sisters, who nodded. She gave the frayed thread in her hands one last solemn glance, the she snapped the scissors shut. The thread broke almost immediately, and she was left with two fragments of a thread hanging between her fingers.

The three fates flickered and became the young women again, this time, Verdandi held up a golden thread.

Skuld took the golden thread from Verdandi, and gingerly took the frayed oceanic green thread from Urd, winding them together. The three of them muttered a chant, and the threads molded together, forming a green and golden thread.

"It is done." Lachesis/Sklud said, her double voice resonating.

"It is done." Clotho/Verdandi echoed.

"It is done." Atropos/Urd echoed.

The three of them said harmoniously, " _Abandoned by the peers he grew up with, an outcast in society, rejected by his own kin, betrayed by the ones he loved. Against all odds, the trickster shall find his way back to salvation."_

"We can do no more sister."

"The rest is up to _him._ "

"He will be up to the task when the time is right."

The three women looked at each other, then down at the hybrid thread.

* * *

In a cave within a camp situated on Long Island, a bright red-haired girl gasped, dropping her paintbrush as she doubled over, her eyes glowing a bright green.

" _The world on his shoulders,_

_the hero shall falter and fall._

_Existence in smoulder,_

_until he rises once more._

_The trickster and the ocean_

_shall overcome all odds._

_The reign of the titan_

_fall by flames in due course."_

Rachel woke with a gasp, her eyes landing on the painting before her. She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes widening in shock and horror.

The silhouette of two men stood, flames spreading out around them. Around them, destruction and bodies lay. In the background, the Empire State Building burned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out! :)


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nope, don't own PJO/Marvel last I checked...

Percy ran his hand over his forehead, wiping the sweat off. He breathed heavily, his chest heaving with exertion as sweat dripped down his body. He had thrown his shirt somewhere else about an hour earlier, since it was looking more like a wet piece of rag instead of a proper shirt now.

He grabbed a towel off the railing he had set it on, choosing to wipe his body in the traditional method rather than use his powers. "JARVIS," he asked, looking towards the ceiling, "What time is it?"

" _It is currently forty-seven minutes past six in the morning mister Jackson."_

Percy nodded silently; he had been training for slightly more than three hours since he woke at three in the morning. _Excluding that little unplanned fiasco with Loki_ , he grumbled to himself.

Percy walked out of the gym, instructing JARVIS to switch off the lights. He paused outside the lift, guilt creeping into his stomach. He hesitated, not knowing whether or not to go with his idea but then he cursed, "Fuck this. And fuck my fatal flaw. JARVIS, living room, now."

_"Are you sure you do not want to put on a shirt first sir?"_

Percy looked down and cursed, then darted from the gym to his room to grab a shirt and back to the lift within the span of two minutes.

He leaned against the lift wall, before furrowing his brows, "Hey JARV? Is anyone awake now?"

" _Mr Rogers is on the roof, sir and mister Banner are both in the labs. Agents Romanov and Barton are still on their own floor. Mister Odinson is currently still asleep."_ Came the British-accented reply.

Percy nodded his thanks, then paused, "Which Odinson exactly?"

_"Thor is the one that is still asleep Mr Jackson."_

Percy shrugged then made a beeline for the kitchen, trying not to seem as though he was sneaking around. The soft rays of the sun lit up the living room dimly as Apollo began his daily ritual. _Though, knowing him,_ Percy thought, smirking slightly, _he probably set the chariot on autopilot._

He quickly walked to the kitchen, yanking open all the cupboard doors until he found his favorite pancake mix. A small smile adorned his face, chasing away the shadows that had lingered there. It was soon wiped away by a scowl. _I'm getting soft,_ he thought, pouring water into the mix, _this, domestic feeling. It's so different from camp, from the fights, the wars._

He finished mixing the batter, spooning some of it onto a pan, expertly flipping them over to make the pancakes. He missed camp. As much as he didn't want to even think about it, he missed his old life. True, it was tiring, being chased by monsters every time he stepped out of the camp's borders, having to worry and fight for your life every minute, seeing your friends die in front of you, but it was something he knew. Running around with monsters chasing after him, suffering broken bones, burns, poisons, it was familiar territory, as painful and pathetic as that sounded, it was familiar, routine, and you got used to it after awhile, learning to appreciate the little things when you spend most of your time running away from death. He missed all of his friends and as much as he hated to admit it, he still missed _her_ , even after what she had done.

Percy didn't want to forgive _her_ , nor did he think he could right now. But it didn't erase the fact that _she_ was one of his oldest friends, and that they had gone through so much together. You couldn't just forget years of friendship and fighting alongside each other with a snap of your fingers. You didn't just forget how it felt to fight back to back when surrounded by different monsters and the stench of blood in the air. Unless you were Hera, or the River Lethe then yeah, memories could be taken away easily.

He shook his head, quietly scooping up the pancakes onto the plate, there was no point thinking about the past, it was over anyway. He chose this life; he would see it to the end, his old life was just that, old. He was no longer a part of that world, no matter how much he missed it.

* * *

Loki opened his eyes blearily, woken up by the light illuminating the room. He groaned and flipped over, trying to cover his eyes, ignoring the fact that he was behaving like a child, something he hadn't done since he was - well - a child. After several minutes of tossing, he finally gave up, sitting upright in his bed. He looked around the bed, seeing a circle of destruction from the night before. Scowling, he raised an arm to wave away the damage when he realized that his magic had been blocked.

Hissing in frustration, he slid out of bed, deftly avoiding the broken shards of wood that was once his bedside table. Loki snorted, there was no need for him to have a bedside table anyway, and he didn't have any possessions. Frowning, the god stripped off his outer armor, leaving him with his tunic and breeches.

He eyed the tap in the bathroom warily, refusing to look at his reflection. Gingerly, he turned it, relief flooding him when cold water came running out.

He splashed some on his face, feeling the cold chase away the last recesses of sleep. He sighed, clamping down on his anger and frustration. As much as he hated this situation, hated the avengers and their petty mortal ways, he was not stupid. He knew that an oath to the Norns was binding, and though he did not understand why he took that oath, only a niggling sensation in the back of his head that told him to take it, he understood that if he cooperated, he might stand to gain some benefits. _And perhaps their trust too,_ he thought, smirking idly.

He was broken out of his reverie by a knock on the door.

Loki cocked his head, as a god, his hearing was better than mortals, and he could hear whoever it was outside the door shuffling around nervously. Narrowing his eyes, he walked towards the door, avoiding the mess on the floor as he did so. Opening the door a crack, he was greeted with the sight of one Percy Jackson holding a plate of pancakes up.

"Pancakes?" Percy asked.

* * *

Percy groaned, looking at the plate of pancakes he was holding. _What am I thinking? This is completely retarded._ He thought, staring at the pancakes morosely. Sighing, he stepped out of the lift, heading towards Loki's room, guilt still churning in his stomach. He knocked several times on the door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

When Loki opened the door, he had been on the verge of turning around and returning to his own rooms. Instead, he raised the plate to the unimpressed fallen prince and said, "Pancakes?" He cringed inwardly at how absurd his voice sounded, _how is it_ , he thought, _that I can face a whole ship full of monsters, the Titan Lord himself and even Mother Nature but I can't even give a peace offering without feeling nervous?_

Loki spared his pancakes a glance, before turning his glare on the hero. Percy winced internally, he was glad that Loki had his powers sealed, otherwise, he was sure that he would probably have been some species of mice or small creature by now, or even a speck of dust on the floor. "Look," he sighed, slumping a little, "I'm sorry about last night. I have no idea what happened, and I swear that I didn't know that," he flapped his hand in the air, "whatever that was would happen. So, I made you breakfast."

Loki continued staring at him, narrowing his eyes, "You insult me with your actions and hope you can obtain forgiveness by offering me a meal?"

Percy blinked, "Well, when you put it like that…" He sighed, "Look, just say if you want it or not, I'm not going to stand out here and wait until dinner for your answer."

Loki pressed his lips together, annoyance flashing in his eyes at the blatant disrespect towards him. He was a prince for Odin's sake! He was not to be treated like a commoner.

Their stare down lasted a few seconds longer before Loki sighed, opening his door a fraction wider, there was no point in antagonizing the only person in this tower who could actually stand up to the avengers after all, "And yet you did not bring an extra plate. Did you hope to share with me?"

Percy blinked owlishly, face-palming, " _Di immortales,_ I'm such an idiot. Look, uh, hold this; I'll go get another plate-"

"Forget it," Loki cut in, grabbing the plate and walking back into his room, leaving his door open. He smirked lightly to himself, deciding not to tell the boy the significance of such an action on Asgard.

Percy scowled at the loss of his pancakes, and followed the god into his room, closing the door softly behind him. "Woah," he said, looking around, "What the Hades happened in here? Did you throw a tantrum or something?"

Loki, sitting on the bed, glared at him, though the image was ruined by his munching. And the fact that the esteemed God of Mischief was sitting on a bed and eating pancakes. Somehow, the god could never remain angry and spiteful around the demigod.

Giving the blue pancake a curious look, he asked, "What are these pastries?"

Percy scratched the back of his head, shrugging lightly, "Eh, they're pancakes, standard breakfast dish, and I'm not sure if they're considered pastries."

Loki finished the one he was currently holding, lifting another to his mouth, "And the blue coloration?"

Percy flinched slightly, his face falling into a stoic mask, "It's an inside joke."

Loki felt his anger flare again, "A joke?" he hissed, "Do you mock me?"

"No!" Percy shouted, "Ugh, nothing like that. An inside joke is something that is shared between two people. Like, only both of them understand why it's funny."

Loki narrowed his eyes at Percy, biting another mouthful of pancake, "Why blue?"

Percy sighed, scowling, "My mum. She knows that my favorite color is blue."

Loki cocked his head to the side, "You should not lie to the God of Lies," he said, watching Percy tense slightly, "But I suppose, there is no harm in pastries." He finished, smirking as he swallowed the rest of is pancake.

Percy sighed exasperatedly, "It's _not_ a pastry." He muttered, snatching two from the plate Loki was holding before the god could finish the entire thing.

They both remained in awkward silence before Percy cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Uh, well, I'm just going to go up… You can finish the rest of the pancakes. If you want." He said hastily, backing out of the room.

Loki shook his head, amusement and annoyance warring within him.

The moment Percy stepped out of the god's room; he breathed a sigh of relief. Dealing with gods was never easy, be it Greek, Roman or Norse. He had thought that being in SHIELD meant that he wouldn't be dealing with any gods or creatures straight out of mythology anytime soon, but apparently, his luck was still as horrible as ever. Because only Percy Jackson could be found in the middle of an invasion twice in a row*.

Percy face-palmed mentally, raising his head to the ceiling, _why did he even do that? JARVIS could hear him even if he kept his head down_ , "JARVIS, is Steve awake?"

" _Mr Rogers is currently having his breakfast Mr Jackson."_ The disembodied voice came.

Percy nodded, quickly going into the lift, feeling stupid for running up and down the tower the whole morning.

* * *

Steve was having his breakfast - quietly - when he heard the lift arrive. He sighed, he had been enjoying the silence that came with the early morning, before the other avengers entered the dining area and brought with them the rowdiness that one expected when in a group that consisted of Tony Stark. It wasn't that he didn't like the group, on the contrary, he felt at home with them, but like all families, they had their moments of conflict and Steve appreciated silence over incessant babbling at times.

He turned around, fully expecting to see one of the other avengers, Natasha perhaps, she usually woke up early. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of Percy, who in his rush to make breakfast after training, had not had the time to comb his hair. As a result, it stuck up in all places and looked as though a whirlwind had danced upon his head.

Percy caught Steve's little smile at his expense and scowled, reaching up in a futile attempt to pet his hair down into something less unruly.

Steve smiled amiably, "Good morning."

"Uh, morning." Percy replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Is there something…?" Steve said, trailing off at the end.

"Oh, right," Percy said, "I'm going back to SHIELD headquarters today, I need to check in with Fury. Just wanted to let you know, in case, y'know," he shrugged, "In case you think I got kidnapped or something."

Steve blinked, "JARVIS could tell us where you went, but how are you going to get there?"

"I can give you a lift!"

Both of them turned to face Tony, who had caught the end of their conversation and was bouncing happily into the dining area. "You can't just flag a cab and say 'SHIELD HQ please' right?" he smirked, grabbing a bottle of scotch and pouring himself a glass.

"Tony," Steve said disapprovingly, "Its eight in the morning, why are you drinking?"

Tony flapped a hand at Steve, "That's late to me. It's actually my bedtime now." He turned to Percy, "So whatcha think Frosty?"

Percy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. He raised an eyebrow, "Go on a ride with you? I'll pass thank you very much. I have no wish to go deaf by the time I reach the Helicarrier."

"Oh come on!"

Percy smirked deviously, "Lend me the car then."

Tony stared at him in shock, not comprehending the words that came out of his mouth, "Lend you my - what?"

"Seems like I broke him." Percy turned to Steve, "I'll just wash up and head over, and I'll find my own transport, thanks."

Steve nodded, completely ignoring Tony's childish protests in the background, "Alright then, you'll be back in time for dinner?"

Percy nodded mutely, turning to leave when- "Hey where's Reindeer Games?"

He blinked in confusion, before realizing that Tony was referring to Loki, "Oh," he said, frowning slightly, "I think he's still in his room. I'm not sure if he's awake though." He lied smoothly, not wanting the two avengers to know of their little interaction. They would just get hyped up for no reason and he would never hear the end of it.

"Right, okay, I'll ask JARVIS to get him later. Adios mi amigo!" Tony said, waving his hand cheerily as he walked back to whichever hole he had popped out from.

"Right…" Percy muttered, backing away to the lift, he still had to wash up after all. "I'll see you guys later."

* * *

_SHIELD Headquarters- Helicarrier_

Percy's face was set in his usual mask, his expressionless face clearing the way as he walked. It had taken him a little over an hour to get to where the Helicarrier was parked at, and a few minutes to cross the ocean to actually get aboard the Helicarrier.

He was glad that he could still manipulate the Mist, because there were several SHIELD agents who didn't know about his powers - make that the majority of SHIELD actually - because of their clearance level. Fury didn't want anyone to know about his powers, the only ones who knew were the director himself, Agent Hill, because she was technically his second in command, Agents Romanov and Barton, because they were there when he demonstrated his powers, Agent Coulson, who became his handler after he was cleared for duty and the other avengers. And of course, not forgetting about one trickster god.

Even in SHIELD, not everyone was to be trusted, and Percy's secret was the most important of all. He was glad that Natasha and Clint had assumed that he was a mutant with the ability to control water - and therefore ice because it was just another form of water, and that that assumption had been passed on to the upper echelons.

Being a mutant was already bad enough in today's society, what with the two warring political factions out there against and for mutant rights, and then the two _warring_ factions against and for the humans. He wasn't a mutant, well, he probably was considered one _now_ , but it didn't mean that it would be well received if word got out that the Norse gods weren't the only gods out there…

The public already had a hard time believing the existence of Thor, who they had physical proof of and a plethora of stories and myths to back it up, let alone if they were to find out about the multitude of Greek and Roman gods amongst them. At least with Thor, they could justify him as a super-powered alien, rather than a real god straight out of Norse mythology. Five out of six of the avengers were human, in a manner of speaking, and Thor was the only non-human in the group. In an effort to placate the public, they had labeled him as a demi-god instead of a real one, which the public had accepted, because a demi-god was still part human, it didn't go against public opinions of their omniscient god if the so-called god of thunder was actually half human. Never mind the fact that if he was half human, he was also half god and that meant hat there was really a being called a god out there. It made Percy laugh the first time he heard it, although Hill had just taken it as him thinking it was presumptuous to call Thor anything less than he deserved because he was just so obviously a god.

No one in SHIELD knew of his - _inheritance_ , and he planned to keep it that way. He had been told numerous times that he wasn't physically capable of lying, yet- _look at me now, lying day in and day out, even to the people who were trained to spot lies_. He supposed that it helped that they had made their own assumptions so he didn't actually have to lie verbally, just act like he didn't want to talk about it, which wasn't really acting since he had no wish to speak about his powers at all.

On top of that secret, he had another one, one that made cold fury burn through his very being. Thor didn't notice, but he wasn't concerned with the thunder god, while the large Asgardian could be extremely loyal, he could also be extremely obtuse at times, which worked perfectly to Percy's advantage.

No, Percy was more worried about his brother. Loki was a genius, as Thor liked to say, even though Clint would then snark and say that leading an army invasion into the heart of New York wasn't smart at all - which Percy agreed with whole-heartedly, but for a different reason than Clint's. Either way, Percy knew that Loki could sniff out a lie from several miles away - he wasn't dubbed the God of _Lies_ for no reason - and he knew that of all the people in the Avengers Tower, it was him who would be the first to figure out his secret.

He did not know how much the god had uncovered already, and he could only hope and pray that Lady Fortuna was smiling on him this once.

He entered Fury's office, only to stop short at the sight of Maria Hill behind his desk. At his questioning look, she said, "Director Fury is in a meeting with the Council." giving him a leveled stare.

Percy frowned, he knew how long those meetings could take,with the obnoxious, stuck-up, no-good, arrogant - people - who formed the supreme Council, and replied, "I'll come back later when he's done then. Good day ma'am." He saluted and walked out.

As the door closed, he heard her shout, "It's good to have you back Jackson!"

Percy grinned cheekily, briskly walking to the room he was assigned to when he stayed on the Helicarrier.

* * *

_Back at the Avengers Tower_

"Come on, just this once, please?"

"No. Get out."

"Oh come on, don't be so boring, it isn't like we're going to do anything to you. Aren't we Brucie?" Tony cajoled.

Loki gave them a deadpan stare, "No, Stark. I have no wish to comply with your bothersome wishes. Now get out."

Stark pouted, Bruce sighed, Tony had been trying to get Loki down to his lab since Percy had left for SHIELD, but to no avail. The trickster god hadn't resorted to physical methods yet, but from the look on his face, it wouldn't be long before he threw Tony out bodily. And he would probably do it too.

"Look," Bruce tried, "We just want to study your magic. Get some readings, run some tests, that kind of thing. its harmless."

"Tests?" Loki hissed, straightening up to his full height, towering over both scientists, "You think me a creature, an animal to be subjected to your mortal whims? Dissected like experiments to suit your fancies?"

"No," Bruce said calmly, his heart racing internally, "they're non-invasive, just running some scans on your magic, record out observations and all, stuff like that. We're not going to dissect anyone, we're just asking you to do something with your magic and such-"

"I am _not a circus creature!_ " Loki snarled, slamming his hand into the door frame, causing Tony and Bruce to jump.

Bruce felt his control over the other guy weaken slightly, and he knew that his skin was taking on a green tinge. He quickly excused himself, hurriedly rushing to his floor.

That left Tony and Loki together. Tony frowned at his friend's hasty retreat, glaring at Loki, "We don't want to hurt you, you know. But you're not making it easy for us to be civil with you."

Loki snorted, "I was sent here to aid you in your…battles." He said disgustedly, "I am not required to frolic with you mortals."

"Hey watch it." Tony snapped, "We didn't ask for you to come okay?"

"You asked my brother to seek help, because you cannot even handle your own opponents. How pathetic." Loki sneered.

Tony bristled, "Listen here Reindeer Games, you're in _my_ tower, which means you follow _my_ rules. You're at _our_ mercy, and it's not like you have much of a choice in this situation anyway. Your hands are tied behind your back-"

"And I do so await the day when the ties that bind me are finally released. I will make you sniveling mortals pay for your insolence and arrogance." The god purred.

Tony's eyes flashed angrily, "In case you forgot, we have a Hulk. Who you made angry just a few seconds ago."

"And who cannot even control the beast within him."

"Oh yeah?" Tony challenged, "Did you maybe forget about the time when you had your head smashed in by that same guy?" Tony mocked, "I have a plaque for where your body was imprinted in the marble you know."

Instead of the fear that he was expecting to see, the trickster god just threw his head back and laughed, his laughter bouncing off the walls.

"You foolish mortal." Loki said, shaking his head as a mocking smile stretched upon his face, "You truly thought that such a mindless _beast_ could take me down?"

Frowning, Tony resisted the urge to back away when the god leaned forward, bringing up his bravado as he usually did in such situations, "Yeah well, it _was_ your body on the floor." He raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "Unless I need to get my eyesight checked?"

Loki grinned, leaning over Tony, making their height difference all the more obvious, "So caught up in your delusions." He said, shaking his head in mock pity, "You have not seen a fraction of the power I hold mortal, do not assume that you and your band of _heroes_ , have the power to fight me as an equal."

Loki brought his mouth to the other's ear and whispered, "A caged lion does not make it any less dangerous."

Tony's eyes widened, he heard the power infused in the god's voice, and gulped, backing away. He retreated to the lift, his usal snarky comments escaping him for once, not turning back even as the sounds of the god's mocking laughter trailed after him.

* * *

"Hey, where'd the kid go?" Clint asked, walking into the living room. Steve, who had been idly sketching, just replied, "He went back to SHIELD. Something about having to meet Fury. I suppose it makes sense, since he'd been out of commission for so long."

"Oh," Clint said, rummaging through the cabinets in search of something edible for breakfast.

"Third cabinet from the right, Clint." Steve said, not looking up from his sketchbook.

He heard Clint's muffled thanks as Thor and Natasha came in together, their slightly disheveled looks indicating that they had just sparred. Thor had been reluctant to spar with Natasha at first, expressing his desire 'not to lay a hand against a maiden' despite Natasha's insistence that she could take it.

After one too many times of Thor addressing her as a 'delicate maiden', to the amusement of the others, she had tackled him and brought him down within a matter of seconds, showing him exactly how - delicate - this 'maiden' was. After that, Thor had declared her much like his comrade Sif and never brought up the 'delicate maiden' thing ever again.

They all settled down on various parts of the couch, with Clint and Thor stuffing their faces with cereal and Pop Tarts respectively. Natasha was eating her breakfast too, but at a much more sedate pace.

Their companionable silence was broken when Tony rushed out of the lift, his eyes wide and panting.

"Why the hell do you look like you just ran a hundred miles? Did you take the stairs?" Clint grinned.

"Shut up bird brain." Tony responded automatically. He turned an accusing finger to Thor, "Your brother is completely and utterly fucked up."

The avengers shifted collectively, tensing automatically at the mention of their resident god of lies.

"What the hell did he do?" Clint demanded, he liked teasing Tony, but they were team mates and friends and he wouldn't let him get hurt if he could help it.

Tony glared at Thor, "He's a fucking maniac that's what, I don't know why the fuck you brought him back. All he's going to do is rip all our heads off once he gets the fucking chance to."

"Tony," Natasha interjected quietly, cutting off Thor's protests, "Did he do anything to you?"

Tony ran a hand through his hair, grimacing when he found his hand trembling slightly, "No. He didn't do anything. But he did cause Bruce to Hulk out."

Their eyes widened, "Then Bruce…?" Steve said concernedly.

"He's fine," Tony said, waving a hand at them, "He got to his floor in time. But that doesn't mean that your brother isn't a psychotic little asshole."

"What were you even doing down there anyway?" Clint asked, relaxing slightly.

"We, Bruce and I, wanted to run some scans on his magic, because the last two times anyone tried to activate the kid's bracelet, Chitauri came knocking on the door. So we thought that it wasn't worth the risk yet, at least until we figure out a way to stop the chitauri from being attracted to the damn thing. But that asshole said some stuff and Bruce couldn't calm himself down and had to leave. I tried talking to him but the little shit just threatened me and-"

"Wait, he threatened you?"

"Yes Cap, he did." Tony snapped, the other avengers all exchanged slightly shocked looks at his uncharacteristic behavior, "Can I continue? He said stuff like how we haven't even seen his full power etcetera, and that we wouldn't stand a chance against him and shit." He snorted, "A bunch of bull more like. We slammed him straight into the ground the last time."

While the rest of the avengers relaxed minutely, Steve turned to Thor, "Is it true? Is there a possibility that Loki is more powerful than what we imagined?"

Thor frowned thoughtfully, "It is true that my brother did not demonstrate the full extent of his powers three Midgardian years ago, but," he said hastily as the avengers all tensed again, "He was never all that powerful or strong. In fact, he was ridiculed in Asgard because of his lack of ability to hold a sword!" Thor finished cheerfully. Seeing his team mates' dubious looks, he continued, "Rest assured my friends, Loki has never been able to best me in battle. Nor any of my friends. It is a famous ruse of his as a Liesmith. He uses his slight frame to his advantage, making people underestimate him while he unsettles them by claiming to be more powerful than they think him to be. As they underestimate him, he then uses his tricks to attack them while they are distracted. Loki is not as powerful as he claims to be."

The avengers sat in an uneasy silence. "If you're sure…" Clint muttered, too low for anyone other than Natasha to catch.

They all remained where they were, the silence only broken by the constant munching of Clint and Thor. It was suddenly broken by the sound of the alarm, with Agent Hill's face appearing on the screen.

"Avengers!" she barked, "You are needed, the SHIELD base in Afghanistan has been overrun by-"

"Woah wait. Why the hell do you have a base in freaking Afghanistan?" Tony asked.

Hill scowled, "We just do," she snapped, "Now get over there ASAP. The chitauri have infiltrated the base. We received their distress call a few minutes ago. Apparently, no one realized that the chitauri was there until they tripped the alarm. A bird has been sent to avengers tower. Stark, Thor," the latter snapped to attention while the former just languished on the couch, "You both get to the place first, clear the base and get any survivors out. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Steve cut in, stalling Tony's unnecessary comments, "Where is director Fury?"

Hill glowered, her face contorting into a snarl for a brief fraction of a second before smoothing out into her usual annoyed look, "He's in a meeting with the Council. Hill out."

The screen blinked off and the avengers all scrambled to get their weapons. "Tony, Thor, like what she said, you're our fliers, get to the base now. Update me on the situation when you reach. But if you see any survivors, they're priority."

Both men nodded, Tony walking out, the Iron Man suit encasing him as he did so, "Let's roll." He said, grinning. Thor walked out to the balcony first, careful not to smash the window on his way out, before spinning Mjolnir and taking off after Iron Man.

Steve turned back to the group, "Natasha, suit up and go get Bruce, tell him we need to suit up. Clint, suit up, get yours and Natasha's weapons and meet back here in ten."

Both assassins nodded and ran off, leaving Steve to quickly run down to his level and quickly changing into his suit, hoisting his shield onto his back. He hesitated for a moment, then ran down to Percy's level, banging on Loki's door.

The god opened up, and Steve was shocked to see that he was fully dressed. When he gaped at him, the god merely quirked an eyebrow, "Chitauri is it not? Which is why you need my help."

Steve recovered quickly, not questioning how the other knew, "Right, come, hurry."

He ran up to the top level, meeting the assassins and Bruce there. They nodded to each other, with Clint giving Loki a glare, who responded with an smug smirk, and quickly hopped into the quinjet. They all sat in silence as the plane took them after the other two members.

* * *

_SHIELD Headquarters- Helicarrier_

Percy walked along the corridor, his footsteps silent even in the empty hallway. His face was a stoic mask; however, he thought it odd that there was no one in sight. It could be that he was nearing the sleeping quarters, and at this time of the day- nearing ten in the morning- most agents would have been up and at their posts already.

It could also have been a coincidence that he was in this section of the Helicarrier when everyone else was presumably sent on some kind of mission or errand or to conduct some other experiment of some sort. Percy toyed with that idea for awhile, before dismissing it. The universe was rarely so lazy after all.

His instincts were telling him that something was wrong, and since he was twelve - actually, even before that - his instincts had always _always_ proved to be right. He kept his face blank, focusing on the unsettling feeling. Leading a life that he had, he knew when someone was watching him, and although he'd felt that in the first few weeks of staying here due to the numerous amount of cameras, he had gotten used to it, realising that the feeling wasn't the same.

That and he felt like someone was watching him. Someone who wasn't the camera. Someone who was most definitely an enemy. He didn't show his uneasiness, his training preventing him from doing so. The moment he stepped into his room, he surveyed it with a quick glance. Nothing seemed out of place. Though the keyword here was 'seemed'. He narrowed his eyes, finding nothing out of ordinary.

He moved to the cupboard where his things were kept, eyes surreptitiously moving about the room while his body portrayed a relaxed pose. He rummaged through his clothes, bringing some out and throwing them on his bed. He pretended to be undecided between bringing yet an extra set of pants or not, while he angled his body to take advantage of the blind spot of the camera he knew was in his room. He took this opportunity to slip a handgun into the folds of his jacket. Ultimately throwing the pants onto the bed where it joined the other sets of clothing. He folded the clothes quickly, stuffing them into his duffle bag. He felt the pricking sensation on the back of his neck, the one he got whenever he felt a monster hunting him.

His instincts were going crazy, and telling him to get out of this place, but he clamped down on them, not wanting to raise suspicion if he suddenly disappeared. He needed to meet Fury anyway. After stuffing his duffle full of clothes, he walked towards the window, where a single plant was placed on the ledge.

His eyes softened when he looked at the plant. It was daytime, so it wasn't glowing as it should have been, but the moonlace was as beautiful as the first time he got it. He remembered how he got this plant, and his promise of planting it in memory of the girl who saved him and nurtured him back to life.

He smiled bitterly, he hadn't taken this with him to the avengers tower because he'd originally thought that he would spend a short time there. He realized that he had forgotten all about this little plant, and his head bowed in shame.

Percy lightly traced the leaf of the plant, he didn't know how it managed to survive this long without water, but he figured that it was a product of magic. He lifted the plant, and placed it carefully in a corner of his duffle, making sure that it wouldn't get squished by his careless handling.

He closed his duffle, intending to head back to Hill's office, but stopped short as his instincts reared up again. He fought the 'fight or flight' instinct, struggling to place what was wrong with the situation. He ran his journey to the Helicarrier up until he reached the room through his mind, but he couldn't find anything wrong with - he stilled.

Percy breathed out, watching in fascination as the waves outside his room got rougher and rougher. He narrowed his eyes, what was it- a rumble beneath his feet snapped him out of his musings, and his eyes widened in realization, _Agent Hill hates being called 'ma'am', and she never ever sits in the director's office._ _Γαμώ**_ _!_

All the pieces were connecting in his mind now, and he leapt to the window, watching the water churn as the engines of the Helicarrier rose. He cursed in Greek, Latin, and whatever other languages he had picked up over the years.

His mind racing, he made a snap decision as the prickling sensation intensified. He grabbed his duffel, and with a smirk and a rude gesture to where the camera was, he disappeared into mist, a faint scent of sea breeze lingering in the room.

A heartbeat later, the door to his room slammed opened as Agent Johnson crashed into the room, his face morphed into an ugly snarl.

* * *

_Afghanistan base_

Tony landed on the dusty round, his sensors already scanning the area rapidly. He heard Thor land behind him, concentrating on having JARVIS scan the base. "Has your invisible servant found any survivors yet Man of Iron?" Thor asked.

"First," Tony said, holding up a finger, "It's JARVIS, not invisible servant. Second, it's Iron Man, not Man of Iron. And no, the scans are coming up blank. There are no registered life forms around here, and I'm using thermal sensors, which usually picks up life forms pretty quickly cause of the heat emitted by the body. I'm not sure if it's because they're hiding underground where my sensors aren't reaching or because they're all dead or something…" Tony trailed off, seeing Thor's confused face. He sighed, flipping his faceplate up, "No, there are no survivors. Not that I can find. We have to check the base itself. You got your comm.?"

Thor nodded, gesturing to the earpiece he had stuck in his ear before they left.

"Right, I'll contact you through that; we'll split up, look for survivors and kick some chitauri ass. I'm tired of seeing their ugly butts." Tony said, bringing his faceplate down. He took off and flew to the back of the base. Thor watched him take off, gripping Mjolnir tightly. He had an uneasy feeling about this.

At the back end of the base, Tony tried to walk silently into the base, keyword: tried. It was hard to be silent when you're wearing a full body suit of metal. He stepped carefully into the base. While he normally would barge in without any cause for concern, something (that sounded suspiciously like Steve) told him to be cautious. He wasn't battle hardened like the Captain or Thor, and he didn't have honed instincts like Clint or Natasha, but he did trust his gut feelings, when they acted up.

So when his HUD lit up with the sign of one life form on the thermal sensor when he reached the basement, he decided to be cautious instead of immediately sprinting over to said life form. He turned the corner, keeping his faceplate down as he rushed to the woman's side. She had a what seemed like a sprained ankle and several cuts and scratches on her face and arms, but otherwise, she looked fine.

He tapped her on the arm gently, "Miss? You okay there?"

The woman's eyes fluttered open, and Tony had JARVIS run scans of her. She gasped when she saw him, and shifted backwards instinctively, crying out in pain as the movement jarred her ankle. "Oh my god. Ironman!"

Under the mask, Tony grinned at the blatant adoration in her voice, clearly a fan then. "How can I be of service my lady?" he mock bowed.

She giggled, lifting a hand to her mouth. Her answer was cut short by a blast that had Tony scrambling to shield her from. He whirled around and fired a blast straight into a chitauri's chest, the hole in it's abdomen smoking slightly. A quick scan of the area told him that there were more that were converging on their location.

Tony cursed under his breath, he would be fine if he was alone, but with a civilian here- a loud bang snapped him out of his reverie. He turned around to see the woman holding a gun, which had apparently felled a chitauri that had crept from behind. He started, while the woman grinned, "You forget that I'm a SHIELD agent."

He grinned back at her, "What's your name? I'm not calling you lady all the time."

"Agent Rivers." Came the reply.

Tony grinned at Agent Rivers, already deciding that he liked her. She had a spunky attitude and apparently could kick some chitauri ass even with a sprained ankle. Anyone who kicked chitauri ass gained a point in his book.

He turned back to the scans in his face plate, firing his blasters at any chitauri that popped up, trusting Rivers to watch his back, feeling like he was playing a weird version of whack-a-mole, except that it was more like blast-a-chitauri.

And she did, if the sound of gunfire behind him were any indication.

Soon enough, the random wave of chitauri ceased, even though both of them held their breath in anticipation for the next attack. He held out his arms, waiting with bated breath, it wouldn't be the first time that the chitauri had managed to escape his sensors after all.

The silence was broken (for him) by the comm. crackling in his ear. Steve's voice sounded, causing Tony's heart to skip a beat, 'Tony, where are you?'

"You sound breathless Capsicle," Tony teased, gently hoisting Rivers to her feet, wincing in sympathy when she grunted in pain, "What'd you do on the jet?"

"Tony, this is no time for games," the captain admonished, "Where are you? We're nearing your location. And where's Thor?"

Tony gently held Rivers as she hobbled along on her good foot beside him, "Thor and I split up to look for survivors, and I found one, Agent Rivers if I remember correctly." He grinned at her, making her roll her eyes at him. "I don't know where Thor is, haven't checked in with him for awhile."

"Tony, look, there's something wrong with this-"

"Cap?" Tony asked, frowning slightly, not realizing when his grip on agent Rivers loosened, "Tony - get - out - trap."

"Cap, I'm losing you. I can't hear you, what's wrong?"

"Tony! - Get out!"

"Cap!" Tony shouted, his heart racing, "I can't hear- Fuck!"

He yelled as a blast missed him by millimeters. He turned around, cursing as he realized that he had let go of Agent Rivers only - his eyes widened in shock.

"You."

Agent Rivers stood before him, her arms curled around a familiar long golden staff that brought back memories of explosions and destruction. Her mouth curled into a cruel smile as her eyes glinted with malicious intent.

"Oh poor Tony Stark." She simpered, "Brought down by a girl."

Tony's mind was reeling, "Wha-how?", he sputtered.

"Oh," she purred, batting her eyelids, "Did I break him?"

"Who the fucking hell are you?" He snarled, aiming his repulsors at her, gesturing to the chitauri weapon in her arms, "And where did you get that? Are you working for the chitauri? You're fucking SHIELD. How can you work for the chitauri?"

Agent Rivers sneered, hefting the weapon in her hands, "I don't work for the chitauri _Anthony_." He flinched back at the sound of his full name being spat out by the SHIELD agent before him.

She grinned at him, her features morphing and twisting until nothing of Agent Rivers was left save her uniform. Black, soulless pits glared at him, teeth bared in a semblance of a smile, "I _am_ the chitauri."

She lunged forward, just as Tony jumped backwards, her weapon slicing through the ground like a knife through butter. _Am I glad that I dodged that or what?_ He thought. He fired at her, but her hands shimmered and she threw up a force field, causing the blast to slam into it harmlessly. She launched her own attack at the same time, forcing Tony to continue to retreat backwards, even as the girl- no, chitauri- kept coming forward. The narrow corridor proved hard for him to maneuver in, but the slim-bodied chitauri fought with ease.

He was on the defensive, and it wouldn't last for much longer if he didn't high tail it out of there or find a broader space to fight, and the chitauri knew that too, if the sick grin on its face was any indication.

Firing both repulsors at once in the alien's face, he took advantage of the distraction and flew down the corridor, intending to blast his way out. Just as he thought he'd left the alien behind, he felt a weight slam in between his shoulder blades, sending him crashing painfully into the ground.

He flipped over, firing his repulsors blindly, but the alien dodged and pinned his hands to the ground with a spell, freezing him into place.

What was once Agent Rivers stood above him, the grotesque face splitting into a sadistic grin. He heard his comm. crackle with static before falling silent.

"Your precious friends won't be able to rescue you now mortal." The alien said, "No one can save you."

She-it?- raised the weapon, the tip poised above his heart. Under the mask, Tony's eyes widened in fear as he struggled to get out- _to move, to do something, anything at all, fucking hell why can't he move?_ \- but he was frozen by some weird spell thing and all he could do was stare helplessly at the chitauri gloating above him-

"Goodnight Mr Stark."

The blade plunged down.

* * *

The moment they got on the quinjet, the ramp retracted and they took off. They all sat in tense silence; the only one who looked remotely unperturbed was Loki.

The god was sitting right inside, next to the cockpit, with Clint sitting opposite him, for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on him. Natasha sat beside Clint, keeping him from doing anything rash. They had all silently agreed to put the god right inside, not wanting him to get a chance to escape out the back of the jet. Loki had just rolled his eyes, smirking privately at the mortal's useless antics. If he had wanted to escape, he wouldn't need to go by the back of the jet.

Steve didn't want to sit beside Loki, but as the leader of the group, he had a responsibility and he couldn't leave the god alone either, so he compromised by sitting one seat down from the god. Not that there was much space on the quinjet for the god to be able to make it out of the jet. Then again, he was the god of mischief, lies and trickery, and despite what Thor assured them about Loki not being as powerful as he thought he was, Steve didn't want to take any unnecessary chances. It was better to overestimate the god than underestimate him. Among all of them, Bruce sat the furthest away from him, concentrating on keeping calm.

The four avengers all sat in silent anticipation, their two fliers, as fast as they were, had at least a fifteen minute head start on them. Knowing Tony, he would get started on scouring the base first without them. Thor, being as nearly as hot-headed as Tony was, was then likely to rush in as well.

Steve tapped his fingers against his legs, starting in shock when a baritone voice cut the silence, "Nervous?"

He looked at the god, who was smirking at him, and frowned lightly, not bothering to answer him. Clint switched between throwing Steve a cautious glance and burning holes into Loki.

Loki didn't tell anyone, and he masked his emotions easily, but he himself felt uneasy. It wasn't anything like nervousness, he had been in too many battles to feel anything more than slight pre-battle jitters, but he could not drive away the feeling of uneasiness. Despite his slight frame, and despite his brother and his brother's friends' jests, he _was_ a warrior. He had fought in numerous battles and had honed his instincts until they were sharp.

There was a lesson in Asgard that all warriors were taught, that despite what logic told you, if your instincts said otherwise, you should never ever ignore it. While it was true that he relied more on his brain and wit than brute strength, even he was not so stupid as to ignore his instincts when they acted up.

Which was why it was puzzling now, because despite the nature of their mission, there was absolutely no reason for him to feel wary other than the fact that they were about to face the chitauri.

He glanced around the jet, ignoring his former minion's heated glares, looking for anything that was out of place. _Not_ , he mused, _that he would know if anything was out of place on this metal contraption he had only been in once._

His eyes swept over the pilots, his mind dismissing them as useless at first before his gaze landed on them again, feeling that there was something off about them. Looking at the other avengers around him, he sneered mentally when he saw that none of them, save the woman, were paying attention to their surroundings. He narrowed his eyes at them, then turned back to the pilots, under the guise of having nowhere else to look, scrutinizing the two pilots closely.

He eyed the way they move. They didn't make a single sound, which was perfectly normal, and despite their occasional hand movement, there was something innately wrong about what they were doing- there!

He kept his face neutral, even as he stared at their figures, sensing the magic in the air now that he knew what he was looking for and unraveling the illusion that was draped over them the longer he stared.

Without his magic, he could not literally unravel the spell that had covered them, and anyone else would have skimmed over the illusion, but Loki, as a practiced _seidr_ -master, knew how to recognize an illusion when he saw one, and recognize the telltale signs that indicated that an illusion was in place.

The bonds on his magic dampened his senses, hence why he had failed to identify the illusion at first, his dampened senses only being able to sense that something was wrong with the entire situation.

Which was why when the chitauri stepped out of the cockpit with its weapon aimed straight at the captain, he was ready for it.

As soon as the illusion shimmered and fell away, Loki sprang to his feet and slammed his palm against the base of the weapon, making it angle upwards, causing the shot to hit the roof of the jet instead of the captain. While the mortals gaped in shock and fumbled with their seat-belts, he head-butted the chitauri, causing it to stagger backwards as he twisted the wrist of the alien, the weapon dropping with a clatter onto the ground.

He yanked the alien forward by the arm, a leg shooting out to kick it in the chest at the same time. He felt vicious satisfaction when the creature screamed in pain as its arm was wrenched out of its socket. In the rush, he forgot about the other chitauri however, and he heard a 'look out!' before he was slammed backwards by a blast of energy.

Groaning, he rolled to the side on instinct, under the seats, dodging another blast of energy. He snarled, ducking under the swing of the second chitauri as the blade slammed into the floor of the jet where he was seconds before.

Loki rolled between the creature's legs and came to a stand behind it, doing a roundhouse kick, sending it flying to the back of the jet.

He spared a glance at the avengers, ignoring the man-beast who had remained in his seat and was clutching his hands to his chest. Satisfied that the captain was handling the remaining chitauri while the assassins scrambled to pilot the jet, he quickly turned back to the alien he sent sprawling.

Ducking under its wild swing, he delivered a right uppercut to its jaw, twisting on his heels as he drove his elbow into the creature's gut, his right hand grabbing the wrist of the alien and- _crunch_ \- smiling when it screamed in pain at having its wrist crushed. He twisted the chitauri's arm behind its back and wrenched, hard, dislocating its arm. He pulled the weapon out of its hands, spinning the weapon around and driving it into the alien's gut, grinning maniacally when it squealed in pain. He released the weapon, the blade still protruding from the creature's gut, and clamped his hands over the alien's head, twisting viciously, a sickening crack echoing in the cramped space as he shoved the chitauri backwards in disgust, its head lolled at an awkward angle.

He yanked the weapon out from the chitauri's gut and whirled around, swiping it at the other alien's head, taking it off in one blow. He gazed dispassionately at the captain who was behind the alien, his shield raised to deliver the killing blow.

"Uh, thanks." The captain said uncertainly.

"Shit." He cursed uncharacteristically as a realization hit him, turning to Clint and Natasha, "We need to contact Tony and Thor. If we were attacked then they may be right in the middle of a trap right now."

"On it Cap." Clint said, his hands flying over the console.

Loki dropped the weapon, his face passive even as his hands clenched and unclenched in anticipation.

"Tony where are you?" Steve said once Clint managed to patch the genius through.

"You sound breathless Capsicle," Tony teased, his voice sending a wave of relief through Steve, "What'd you do on the jet?"

"Tony, this is no time for games," Steve admonished, despite his slight grin at hearing the other's voice, "Where are you? We're nearing your location. And where's Thor?"

Tony remained silent for awhile, "Thor and I split up to look for survivors, and I found one, Agent Rivers if I remember correctly. I don't know where Thor is, haven't checked in with him for awhile. Probably somewhere in the other part of the base though. I entered from the back, so he should have taken the front."

Loki clenched his hands, the pressure in his chest feeling suspiciously like worry, _but that's ridiculous, I don't feel anything toward that big oaf. If he wanted to walk in recklessly like usual, it's none of my business at all._

Before he could question the Man of Iron though, the Captain had already started warning him about the potential trap. "Tony, there's something wrong with this-" the connection broke off for a moment.

"Cap?" Tony asked concern clear in his voice.

Steve panicked slightly, while Clint frantically tried to maintain the connection, "Tony, get out of there, we're thinking it's a trap."

"Cap, I'm losing you. I can't hear you, what's wrong?"

"Tony!" Steve shouted, his heart racing, "Get out of there!"

"Cap!" Tony shouted, panic evident in his voice, "I can't hear- Fuck!"

They heard a loud blast, then the line went dead, static the only thing that could be heard over the comm.

Steve stared in horror at the controls, feeling panic rise up in him, this was worse than he imagined. He clamped down on the rising terror though speaking quickly to Natasha, "Natasha, can you get him back online? Clint, get us there as quickly as possible, and try to contact Thor as well-."

"You will not be able to reach there fast enough." Loki interjected quietly, cutting through the haze of panic in Steve.

In the blink of an eye, Steve rounded on him and slammed him against the wall of the quinjet, his panic fueling his anger, "Shut. Up." He snarled, much to the surprise of the other occupants of the jet, "I'm trying the best I can. Two of my men are unreachable and one is in definite danger so do me a favor and shut up."

Loki stared straight into the captain's eyes, recognizing the look of desperation. "I can help captain." He murmured quietly.

Steve paused, staring at him, "How?"

Loki raised his wrists, "Unbind me. I can and will get to him faster than you are capable of."

"Cap, don't believe him!" Clint shouted, frantically trying to push the jet faster.

Steve glared at Loki, "We'll be there in a few minutes."

But Loki could see the idea warring with common sense in the captain's head. "He does not have a few minutes." He said, ignoring the Captain's flinch. He tilted his head slightly, looking at the Captain dead in the eyes, "I give you my word. However flimsy you may think it is."

Blue eyes stared into green. "If you betray us in any way, any way at all. I will hunt you down and kill you. Understand?"

Loki inclined his head, showing his understanding, holding his wrists up.

Steve looked at him, searching for any sign of deception, muttering under his breath, " _lausan_ _frá_ _skuldabréfum_ _sínum._ "

As soon as the last word left the Captain's lips, Loki felt his magic surge to life, and he rolled his shoulders, allowing the magic to dance along his fingertips. He nodded once to the captain, giving Clint a devious smirk and with a tugging sensation in his gut, vanished in green mist.

"What the hell Cap?"

"We had no other choice." Steve murmured.

"Let's just hope it's the right choice." Bruce said quietly.

* * *

Tony stared at the blade above his heart, caught in a situation that was the whole reason why he had created his suit. He felt helpless, and resigned, for once in his life, knowing that this time round; there was no Yinsen to help him. He had cheated death twice, with the Hulk rescuing him from the claws of death the second time. People always claimed that he had the devil's luck, but everyone's luck ran out eventually. And it looked like today was his turn.

Tony did not close his eyes. He wanted to face his death, as stupid as that sounded.

The blade plunged down, and Tony felt his heart stop -

\- only for it to clang against his suit harmlessly.

Both of them were shocked, but only the chitauri expressed its shock.

"What? How-?" Its surprise was cut off by a blade piercing its throat from behind. It gurgled for a moment, and then the blade swiped to the left, slicing its throat wide open. The chitauri fell to the floor, its weapon clattering noisily to the ground.

Behind it, Loki stood, smirking victoriously.

Tony groaned in embarrassment, he didn't care that his life had just been saved, he only cared that his life had been save by the one and only person on earth, or maybe all the Nine Realms, who annoyed him more than Steve on his nagging days. He didn't know if being killed by the chitauri or being saved by Loki of all people would have been better. He knew the god would never let him live this down.

Loki waved a hand and Tony felt the spell that had immobilized him disappear. He cautiously stood up, keeping his eye on the trickster all the while.

Loki, on his part, merely smirked and waited for Tony to get up, his dagger held loosely between his fore and middle fingers.

"Why the hell are you here?" Tony demanded, "And who the fuck let you out?"

Loki just kept that infuriating smirk on his face, "Why Stark"' he drawled, "Where is the gratitude for saving your life?"

Tony scowled, "Fuck you princess."

Loki snorted, "Highly unlikely. Even if I wanted to copulate with a male, I would choose someone more...qualified."

Tony bristled, but he focused on his priorities, "You haven't answered my question yet. And where's Cap? And the others? If you've done something to them I swear-"

"Please Stark, do not assume that while I am…annoyed about my situation, I automatically become mentally deficient. To answer your question, your Captain 'let me out' as you say, and they're in the jet. They should be arriving anytime soon, I should have been only a few minutes ahead."

Right on cue, his comm. crackled to life and he heaved a sigh of relief at hearing Steve's voice over the comm. "Tony! Are you alright? Did Loki reach you in time?"

Tony spared a glance at the god, who was _still_ smirking, and replied, scowling heavily, "Yeah I'm fine Cap. Princess saved the day."

"Right," Steve said, clearing his throat, "We're gonna scout the base, where's Thor? We couldn't get him on his comm."

Tony stilled, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Loki tense as well, "Shit. I don't know. I was supposed to contact him but my comm. died and with all the rush... Fuck." He swore, "I'll run a scan, ask JARVIS to patch him through once I find him."

He turned around to catch Loki sending tendrils of magic through the walls. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?"

Loki didn't deign him with a response. Instead, he concentrated on sending his magic out as far as possible.

"Hey-" Tony tried again, Loki whirled around and glared at him, "Cease your incessant babbling Stark. Or I will make you." He turned around to place his palms flat against the walls, green light illuminating the place.

"What?" Clint asked, "What's he talking about?"

"I dunno." Tony said, mystified, quietly asking JARVIS to search for Thor.

Loki had closed his eyes when he was sending his magic through the place, and snapped them open, he turned to Tony, "This building is set to collapse anytime soon. I suggest you do not step any further into it."

"Fuck." Tony swore, "You got that Cap?"

Steve remained silent for a moment, waving for the avengers to back away from the base, he sighed, "I got that. Get out here now. We'll decide what to do from there."

Tony gave his assent, then reached back and grabbed Loki, who had begun walking down the corridor. He didn't give the god time to protest as he blasted the ceiling and shot out of the building, landing in front of the avengers who had gathered by the front of the building.

If he threw Loki down slightly harsher than was needed; well, only he needed to know.

He flipped his faceplate up, turning to face Steve, not bothering to help the god up from where he was sprawled on the ground. 'So what's the plan Cap? I mean, how are we gonna find Thor if this whole-' he was cut off by a powerful shove in his back.

Clint immediately nocked an arrow and aimed it at his assailant, as did Natasha with her gun.

Tony turned around and glared at the trickster god, 'What the fuck? What, you gonna go all voodoo on us now huh?'

Loki snarled, not caring about the weapons pointed in his face, "Why did you take me out of the building? I could have found Thor in a matter of seconds and brought him back up!"

"Well princess," Tony snarked, "I was just following your orders yeah? Like you said, the building was set to collapse anytime!"

"I meant for you pathetic cretins you fools! I could have fortified it temporarily with magic you dim-witted fool!"

"Hey watch it! You were the one who gave us that info-."

"Which only proves how under-utilized your pathetic mortal brain is. If you had even bothered to think, I could have located Thor in seconds, fortified the walls so it didn't collapse and teleported out with him in tow in a few minutes!" Loki hissed, stepping into Tony's personal space.

"Hey don't give me that shit. You didn't tell us what the fuck you were capable of so don't expect us to know your plans you crazy asshole."

"Yeah what if you decided to betray us and hightail it out of there?"

Loki turned on Clint, green eyes flashing with anger, "I am bound by a contract that prevents me from doing precisely that you foolish peasants!" He whirled back to face Tony, "And you with your mindless actions, you blasted the ceiling of the base, did you not stop to think that you weakened the foundations further?" he roared.

Steve stepped between them, hands on both of their chests, "Enough! No fighting, it's not productive to anyone." He turned to the angered god of mischief and said, "Loki, can you still locate him? And still conduct your entire plan?"

Loki spared him a cold glance, nodding mutely. Steve nodded back, "Right, as much as I hate this, Loki, you're the only one who can get into the base safely. Locate him, get in and get out immediately. I don't want you to stay in there any longer than necessary. We don't know how steady the base is right now. The rest of you, stand by and wait, there was supposed to be chitauri here and I'm pretty sure that they're still hiding somewhere. We need to keep an eye out for them in case it's another ambush."

All of them nodded in assent at his command, even the trickster god.

Loki, while Steve had been talking, had already cast the locating spell, and found Thor somewhere near the bottom of the building, his energy signature indicating that he was still alive, most probably unconscious since he had made no effort to get out of there. Though how injured the thunder god was Loki didn't know.

He turned to face the base once the Captain had finished his speech, preparing to teleport to where he had located his brother, only to be thrown back by an enormous force as the entire base exploded into flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out! :)


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm updating twice in a row because I won't be around for the next week or so. Here's another chapter for you guys to enjoy! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/Marvel :(

Loki was thrown back by a huge force; slamming into the concrete, bits of debris flying against his face. He gasped, propping his hands beneath him as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He bathed heavily, watching with wide eyes as the flames enveloped the entire building. He stared at the building, dimly registering that the chitauri pouring out had appeared from nowhere at all. But he couldn't focus on that.

He didn't hear the captain's shouts for him to get up. He didn't hear the excited screams of the chitauri s they surrounded the avengers. He didn't hear the sound of blasts from Iron Man. He didn't hear the roar as the Hulk made its appearance.

His ears were ringing, and he couldn't hear anything. He could only stare, half lying and half sitting on the pavement, at the flames licking the building.

He did not care about the chitauri swarming around him.

He did not care about the captain's panicked shouts to get his team into a position that would increase their chances of safety.

He did not care that he was in a vulnerable position.

He could only stare in growing horror as his mind replayed the entire event continuously.

The building had exploded.

The building had exploded with his brother inside.

The building had _exploded_ with his brother _inside_.

Something inside of him shattered as his mind recalled unbidden memories of their adventures- _how many times do I have to tell you o stop being so reckless? One day you'll get in trouble and I will not be able to get you out-_ his hand snapped up instinctively and grabbed the blade that was aimed at his head.

He snarled at the chitauri, ignoring how his hand was sliced open by the blade and with a flurry of motions, he stood above the chitauri, its head severed from its neck by a dagger he had not known he had summoned.

He turned to survey the aliens surrounding him, green eyes hard as ice and glittering dangerously. With a roar that did not reach his ears, he leapt into the fray, a dagger flying into a chitauri's face as another was summoned immediately in its place.

He whirled like a tornado, dealing death instantaneously to any who crossed his path. Loki lashed out, ducking under swings and gutting the aliens. He swept his feet under them, following through with the movement and slamming his foot into the chitauri's face.

After a while of fighting, the chitauri backed away, forming a circle around him, wary of him now that they had tasted death by his blade. He didn't see the shocked looks that the avengers were giving him from behind. His eyes only focused on the chitauri separating him from his brother as he stood, daggers in an ice-pick grip in both of his hands, dripping green fire. He grinned, a grin that promised danger and death to all. Like in Jotunheim, the chitauri shifted uneasily, this was not the weak liesmith that they had been expecting.

He twisted his daggers, letting the green fire drip down the blade. He tensed, waiting to spring into action- _impossible_ , he thought, his eyes widening in shock. He ignored the gathered chitauri, his vision narrowing to a specific one, standing a ways behind the group, directly in front of the building. His breath hitched, the chitauri, wearing a long robe that swept the ground with a hood that cast shadows over its face, raised its six fingered hand and with a _whoosh_ , disappeared into the flames.

Loki stared at where the alien was standing, his grip on his daggers so tight until his knuckles turned white. The traitorous voice in his mind whispered, _You think you know pain? He will make you long for that so sweet as pain._

Loki stiffened, and threw himself forward, slashing and stabbing at the chitauri blocking his way. He needed to get after The Other, the plan was clear as day now and Loki snarled, _there was no way Thor was going to die. Not if he could help it._

He burst out from the chitauri and ran straight into the flames, for once glad of his Jotun heritage as it protected him from the weak flames of Midgard. He skidded around corners, remembering where he had last located Thor- Thor who was still alive. He slid to a stop, his senses were right, the energy signature that was uniquely Thor's was still there. Still pulsating. Weakly, but he was still alive. Loki gasped, taking a step forward.

 _Why should you save him?_ He stilled.

 _You hate him don't you?_ Loki gripped his daggers tighter, eyes darting around for any sign of who was speaking. _You claimed it yourself,_ the voice hissed, _you hate him. You hate that he took everything away from you. You hate that he was so much better than you._

"Silence!" Loki snarled, whirling around to find the origin of the voice.

_You cannot silence me. I am a part of you._

"Be quiet." Loki said, his voice trembling, he swallowed, not hearing anything. He fought down the panic rising in him, he could not hear his own voice at all.

_He does not deserve to be saved._

"Silence."

 _He took everything away from you! Your love, your credibility. Your_ children.

Loki hissed, clapping his hands over his head.

 _He threw you into an abyss!_ The voice roared in his head.

An image of the blond god grabbing him by the neck and tossing him carelessly into the void sprang up in his head. Almost immediately, another image of pushed the first one away, it was him, hanging onto a golden spear with Thor holding onto to the other end, begging him silently not to let go.

Loki cried out in pain as memories assaulted him. He felt an icy grip in his mind, pulling and tugging but he fought back against the feeling. He snarled and hissed and clawed and fought as hard as he could against the grip. He fell backwards as he pulled free of the icy grip, gasping for breath as he lay on the floor.

He remembered now, how Thor was dangling over the side of the Bifrost, pleading with him not to let go of Gungnir. He remembered Thor's look of desperation when he recognized that Loki had given up. He remembered Thor's agonized scream of denial as he let go and fell into the void. Loki gasped, his chest heaving even as he dragged himself upright and felt blindly for Thor's bright presence and _reached out and grabbed on and pulled_ \- and landed right beside the thunderer.

He got up, breathing heavily, ignoring the fact that he couldn't hear his own breath. He looked at Thor, and felt his heart stop at the side of a metal pipe sticking out of the god's side.

He didn't hear the other creep up behind him, when he turned around instinctively, he came face to face with the Other's weapon.

The Other smiled cruelly and fired point blank at the god of mischief.

* * *

_Off the coast of Battery Park- New York_

Percy appeared in the waters outside of Battery Park. He gasped, breathing heavily. He swam to the park, using the Mist to manipulate the mortal's perception of events. He'd look like a bird that had just gone for a swim now, instead of a boy who appeared in the water from the middle of nowhere.

He leaned against a tree, catching his breath for the moment. He hadn't tried that form of travel in so long, add to trying it in his current situation, it made for one very tired Percy Jackson. He dried himself off with a wave of his hand. _The benefits outweigh the drawbacks_ , he thought, grinning to himself. He dug through his duffle, careful not to crush the moonlace that he placed in there, pulling out a black hoodie. He wanted to go incognito after all.

He flipped the hood up and slung the duffle over his back, glad that it made people write him off as either a depressed kid or a drug addict. It did well to prevent people from communicating with him.

As he slowly made his way back to the tower, cutting through back alleys and taking shortcuts, he ran the entire event in his mind. First of all, it didn't make sense for Hill to allow the Helicarrier to take off, at least, not in broad daylight when there were so many people around. Despite the public knowledge that SHIELD existed, Fury would have wanted as few civilians to see the Helicarrier as possible, it was a practical concern, one that the second-in-command of SHIELD should have known. Hence why it was parked so far away from the edge of Battery Park.

Percy was sure that something was off. There was something weird about Hill, and it wasn't just the fact that she didn't mind him calling her 'ma'am'. No, that was not a good indication that she wasn't herself, she could have been busy or frustrated enough that such a trivial thing would slip her mind.

He tried to picture her eyes, remembering Fury brief him on how Barton had fallen under Loki's spell and his eyes had turned pitch black before becoming a bright, unnatural shade of blue. He frowned, Hill's eyes were black, no sign of any blue anywhere. It didn't stop him from dismissing the nagging feeling at the back of his mind that there was something up.

Feeling eyes on him again, he looked up sharply, realizing with a jolt that he had already walked as far as Central Park in the time he had been quietly thinking. He surveyed the area, but there was no one around other than a few stray joggers- _damn._ He thought to himself, eying the salt-and-pepper haired jogger who had slowed to a stop and was checking his phone. The jogger looked up from his phone briefly, and then continued jogging further into Central Park. That was normal enough, a person would probably have stopped to wonder why there was a boy in a completely black outfit staring in their direction, and it wasn't unusual for people to jog with their phones. It was the perfect picture of normality. If said jogger's phone didn't have two snakes entwining around each other on the back cover of it*.

Sighing, Percy looked around for anyone who may have been looking. Finding none, he shouldered his duffel and followed after the jogger, keeping a certain distance away from the man.

When he eventually emerged in a clearing, he looked around, realizing that the jogger had disappeared.

"Well then, seems like you finally picked up a lesson on subtlety eh?" said a voice from behind him.

Percy just snorted, turning around, "More like I had that lesson forced into my brain one too many times until I got it." He came face to face with a man in a jogger's suit, with elfin features and sandy blond hair that looked ruffled. "Lord Hermes." He said, bowing slightly.

Hermes smiled tightly at him, "You know there's no need for formalities between us Percy."

Percy just looked at him, his face revealing nothing, "It's better to be safe than sorry. What do you need me for?"

"I didn't even say anything about needing you."

Percy just chuckled, looking away for a moment, "You all come knocking for a reason. And it's not just a social visit is it?"

Hermes sighed, looking at the battle-hardened boy in sadness. He missed the Percy who had been full of life and cheerfulness and was untainted by the scars of war.

"You're supposed to come with me to Olympus." Hermes said quietly, observing the boy's reaction.

He wasn't disappointed, Percy jerked back in shock, "What," he raised an eyebrow, "They're allowing me on Olympus? Since when did such things happen?"

"It's a special case Percy."

"No." he said, shaking his head, "I want no part in whatever shit you guys want to dump on me. I have had enough." He turned to walk away.

Hermes called out, "Its regarding the Mad Titan."

Percy stilled, feeling a well of hatred bubble inside him at the mention of that creature's name. "What?" he hissed.

Hermes met the angry gaze levelly, "I cannot say anymore than that. But if you come to Olympus with me, you'll know more."

Percy licked his lips, turning the thought in his head. On the one hand, he really needed to figure out what happened to the director and what was going on in SHIELD. On the other hand…any information regarding Thanos was bound to be important. The mad titan was well, mad.

He raised his dark oceanic eyes to Hermes' golden-brown ones, "Fine." He said simply, "I'll go. But I'm not promising anything."

The god nodded, smiling softly at the boy who had changed them all so much. He placed a hand on his shoulder, after a short instruction to Percy to close his eyes; they both disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

_Olympus_

The both of them appeared outside the great doors that led to the throne room. Percy looked questioningly to the god, who only answered, "I didn't think you'd want to be paraded through the whole of Olympus."

Percy nodded, sending a look of gratitude to the god before he entered the throne room. Hermes grew to his usual height at fifteen feet and sat on his throne. Percy took a deep breath and walked in, and all conversations ceased immediately, the throne room falling into silence. He knelt at the foot of Zeus' throne, bowing respectfully to him and keeping his head down.

"Rise." The king of the gods thundered.

Percy rose fluidly, standing up and facing the fourteen Olympians** with his head held high. He nodded respectfully to Hestia, who had decided to stay by the hearth instead of sitting on her throne like the rest of the gods. His heart warmed when she gave him a bright smile, poking the coals in the hearth.

Percy inclined his head slightly to Hades, whose dark eyes shone with amusement and respect. He respectfully averted his eyes from Artemis, lest he be changed into a jackalope. He refused to meet his father-no, Lord Poseidon's- eyes. He looked up, slightly defiant in the face of Zeus. And from the look on the god's face, he had realized his defiance.

_Point to me._

"What can I do for you Lord Zeus?" he asked in that perfectly neutral tone that always made a vein in Fury's forehead tick.

Zeus ignored the tone, choosing, for once, to get straight to the point. "It has come to our attention that the Mad Titan, also known as Thanos, has begun his war against the Nine Realms."

Percy blinked, _Zeus knew about the Nine Realms?_ "What has that got to do with me?"

Athena took over, her gray eyes stern, "We need to prepare for another war. One worse than the previous two."

"There are too many lives at stake here, and we will need everyone we have, every power at our disposal to defeat the titan." Poseidon said, casting a sad look at his son.

Percy blinked, "Whoa wait. Wait up. What in Tartarus are you all talking about?"

Zeus frowned, turning to Hermes, who had slumped down in his throne. "Did you not tell the boy?"

Percy stared between Hermes and Zeus, "Tell me what?" he said lowly.

Hermes stared at Percy , desperately trying to convey his apologies.

"You were supposed to be brought here to regain your former status." Athena said stiffly, glaring at her brother.

Percy's eyes widened, the words registering in his head. He looked at Hermes, his eyes flashing angrily, "What the fuck?" he snarled, "You didn't tell me about this. You didn't say anything except that there was information about Thanos! You lied to me!"

"Percy calm down!" Poseidon barked.

"NO! I left all of this behind." He hissed, gesturing to the gods themselves, "I want no part in this. I made it clear. I have a life now-"

"Do you?" Artemis interrupted, "You are stuck in an organization that does not trust its own people. You cannot reveal who you are. You cannot fight back for fear of being discovered. What kind of a life is that?"

Percy stared at her silver eyes, "It's the only one I have."

"That's not true Percy." Hestia said softly. "You have a choice. You can come back to the hearth."

Percy bowed his head, clenching his fists, "I left, three years ago, because you all lied to me. Because you used me." He said, glaring at Poseidon, who flinched minutely. "I swore never to return and now you want me to just walk back in like nothing ever happened?"

"Come on Perce," Apollo tried, "Ya have to see it from our perspective-"

"Oh I see from your perspective alright, you all just want me to come back so that you can use me further. Right?"

"No-"

"ENOUGH!" Zeus thundered, raising his master bolt to gain attention. The king glared down at Percy, who stared back unflinchingly, "You will return. You will accept the powers we will give to you-"

"You were mentioned in a prophecy." Poseidon cut in, ignoring the furious glare his brother gave him.

Percy turned to him in shock, "What?"

Poseidon looked at him calmly, "A prophecy was issued recently, and it clearly included you. There is no other way. Only a demigod can be a part of such a prophecy."

"You have got to be kidding me. What the hell? Maybe the prophecy is referring to someone else! Why does it always naturally mean me?" Percy demanded.

"Percy, the prophecy says-"

"Enough!" Zeus bellowed, "You have said far more than you should brother!"

"He is my son!" Poseidon roared, slamming his trident on the ground. "He deserves to be told rather than kept in the dark!"

"The prophecy will only be revealed once the boy affirms his loyalty to Olympus!"

"Affirm his loyalty to Olympus?" Poseidon asked incredulously, "Were you blind, death and senseless during the last two wars?"

Zeus stormy gray eyes flashed, and Percy, while he really appreciated his father- _Lord Poseidon damn it-_ defending him, didn't want to be caught up in a fight between two of the Big Three.

"Wait!" He yelled, getting both their attentions, "Is anyone even going to ask whether I even want to be part of this?"

Poseidon opened his mouth to answer, but was beaten to it by another. "You already are a part of this Perseus."

Percy turned to Athena, her steely gray eyes piercing through him, she gestured to the red band around his right wrist, "Is that not one of the Infinity Stones you hold?"

He blinked in surprise, looking at the gleaming red band on his wrist. In all the excitement that followed his return from that accursed planet, the gem had completely slipped his mind.

Athena, seeing his silence, took it as her cue to continued, "There is no way out of this for you Perseus. The prophecy can be referring to no other. Not only have you managed to activate the stone single-handedly without the help of the Gauntlet, something no individual has ever done before, you have also managed to utilize its powers with the lack of any external help and without feeling a strain on your own body." Her eyes softened a fraction, "Can you not see that you are already too deep in this? Why not accept the powers that would increase your chances of emerging alive?"

Percy clenched his fist, knowing that he had been caught and cornered by Athena. It was one of the reasons why he was always reluctant to meet the council. Any argument he might have was inevitably shot down by the goddess of wisdom and her cold logic.

The gods all watched as he stared unseeingly at his hand, slumping minutely. They all felt a pang of sympathy for the boy, who looked so exhausted at the prospect of having to fight in yet another war, but, as much as they wanted to deny it, they needed him.

"What if I don't accept this?" He asked softly. His tone suggesting that he wanted to know the consequences of such an action, but belying his resignation to his fate.

"The Mad Titan will rampage through all the realms, until each and every realm is destroyed." Hades said his voice even.

"I'm just one demigod, how can I change the tide of a war?" He asked desperately, looking for all intents and purposes like a lost child.

All the gods looked at each other, but only Hestia answered him, telling him gently, "You are not _just_ a demigod Perseus." She smiled at him warmly, "You are the greatest demigod to ever live."

He pressed his lips together and straightened his back, eyes hardening as his mask fell into place. He looked up at Zeus, determination thrumming through him. He would not let his friends fight alone. Not just the ones he had left behind, but the ones that he had gained. Even if they rejected him for lying, he would help the avengers, who had helped him so much even when they didn't need to. He thought about how Tony had accepted him into the family almost immediately, even after he'd lied to the man. He thought of how Bruce cared about him, even when he didn't need to, standing up to the one person that brought out the worst in him just because he didn't want him to be in danger. He remembered how Steve had always allowed him to remain quietly by his side as he sketched on the roof of Stark Tower, offering him a quiet smile and comforting him silently when he stumbled out of bed in the middle of the night because of his nightmares. He thought of Clint and Natasha, both assassins who trained him personally. He thought of Thor, who sparred with him, joining in the lessons he had with Tony and who was loyal to a fault. Lastly, he thought of Loki, the green-eyed god who had saved his life, risking his own sanity in return, even if it was at the claim of a debt he owed. Percy closed his eyes and breathed in, "I accept your offer."

The king of the gods nodded, "Hermes, get Hecate here."

The messenger god nodded, studiously avoiding Percy's eyes and flashed out. A few minutes later, he flashed back into the throne room with the goddess of witchcraft. Percy looked at her with slight apprehension. The goddess looked regal in a different manner from the Olympian goddesses. Her dark ebony locks were let loose and they fell in waves down her back, the luscious strands the envy of many goddesses and demigods alike. Her red dress trailed behind her, demonstrating her well curved figure, a sash covering her arms below her shoulders. Her dark eyes gleamed with amusement, though she was quick to hex you if the need arose. Her beauty rivaled that of the goddess Aphrodite, much to the latter's annoyance and envy.

She curtsied before the king of the gods, coming to stand beside Percy, who looked at her curiously. Her mouth curved into a smirk, "What may I do for my king today?"

Zeus ignored her faux-polite tone, saying, "It is time. You shall restore Perseus Jackson's powers to him."

She looked up at Zeus, her eyes shining with mirth, "My Lord," she swept her hand out, "His powers were never taken away."

Zeus exploded, "WHAT?" He roared, Hera placing a hand on her husband.

Hecate merely turned away from the god, placing a well manicured finger under Percy's chin, "Ah, the hero." She said, smiling at him through her lashes, "Such a pretty boy. Powerful too." She crooned.

Percy jerked away from her, his oceanic green eyes darkening in anger. Hecate laughed, "Oh, this is a first!"

Percy frowned, "What?" his fingers twitching, yearning for his sword.

Hecate merely smiled at him, "No one has been able to resist my spell before. Fascinating."

Poseidon scowled, "You placed a spell on my son?"

Hecate turned to him, "Nothing of the sort I assure you Lord Poseidon."

She turned back to Zeus, who was still fuming in his throne. "Do not be angry my lord, even I cannot remove a blessing that has been given. I can only use a spell to suppress its influence within the individual."

"You can lift the spell then?" Artemis asked, disdain clearly evident in her voice.

"Of course." Hecate said, all but dismissive of the moon goddess. "Would you like me to?"

Zeus shared a look with his brothers, and nodded, "Remove the spell on Perseus. Let him regain his powers."

Hecate nodded and turned back to Percy. "Don't resist." She said, placing both hands on either side of his head. He resisted his first urge to throw the goddess off, instead keeping his hands clenched by his side, his mind comparing the feeling of her working her magic in his mind with that of another individual…

He felt her presence in his mind, fighting his natural instinct to resist against her magic. Where Loki felt like a soothing balm to a hot fever, Hecate felt like a wild whirlwind of magic and energy. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

_Stop resisting me._

He tried to relax as he felt her presence delve deeper and deeper into his mind. For a moment, he felt her power surge through him and all he could think was the amount of power burning within him, the pure unleashed energy that cut through his very being and it _burned_. He was trapped in that vortex of power and _he couldn't get out, the power was to much, someonestopitstopthisenoughidon'twantanymorecan'ttakeanymore-_

 _-_ he fell to the floor gasping, the cool marble beneath his hands acting as a focus for him. Distantly, he heard snippets of a conversation above him, but his lungs couldn't seem to get any of the precious air in. He heaved, gulping for air- "What did you do to my son you witch?"- but the oxygen didn't seem to be getting into his lungs at all- "Breathe Perce."- he looked up, straight into bright, kind blue eyes before the world went dark.

* * *

_Afghanistan base_

Several hundred miles away in the underground section of a SHIELD base, the trickster god was thrown against the wall, away from his brother who lay motionless on the floor.

He grunted in pain as his back was slammed against a solid surface for the second time that day. He didn't allow himself any time for reprieve as he rolled to a stand, a dagger in both hands and his brother at his feet. Loki forced himself to concentrate on the opponent before him.

The Other stood in all its hideous glory in front of him, a being that Loki had thought- _hoped_ \- that he would never have the misfortune of meeting ever again. Alas, it seemed that misfortune followed the trickster god as he came face to face with one of his tormentors. Having had a glimpse of the creature before him when he entered that world to pull Percy out was more than enough to bring back all those horrid memories. Now, with the being standing before him in the flesh, Loki pushed back against the memories that he felt rushing up. He gritted his teeth, sliding into a defensive stance, his left foot forward and daggers held in an ice-pick hold in front of his chest.

The Other chuckled, its mouth moving behind its mouth guard. Loki narrowed his eyes, he couldn't hear whatever the other was saying, the silence still encompassing his ears. He used his magic to subtly check on Thor, finding that the metal pipe was keeping most of the blood inside his body, but if they didn't get that wound fixed soon…

The Other had stopped talking and cocked his head to the side at the lack of expression on the god's face. Loki tensed when the chitauri chuckled, its shoulders shaking. A heartbeat later then- _The poor godling_.

Loki flinched back, his eyes widening in horror at the voice that was in his mind.

_Did the explosion render you deaf?_

_Silence!_ Loki snarled, trying to banish the creature and its screeching voice from his brain.

The alien merely smirked, though it went unseen by the god. It glided closer, causing Loki to hiss in anger, his body tense.

 _I told you, there was no realm you could hide, no barren moon, no crevice where I would not be able to find you._ The chitauri hissed, _Yet you chose to hide on this pathetic realm after denying the master the Tesseract._

Loki sneered, _It is not my fault that your army was so pathetically incompetent._

The Other snarled, vanishing and appearing behind Loki, who twisted around, facing two deep black pits, _Do not take me for a fool godling! You rallied the mortals to fight back. You lost on purpose._

Loki laughed, the sound lost in the encompassing silence, _I was their enemy, they would have rallied nonetheless. Your army, supposedly so glorious and powerful, was clearly below their level._

 _Six mortals, against a hoard of chitauri and it was contained within a single section?_ The Other glared at him, _No. you led them with the purpose of losing._

Loki's arm came up just in time to deflect a blast from the Other, twisting and lashing out with his foot at the same time. The feeling of kicking something solid told him that his attack had found its mark, and following through with the movement, Loki let one of his daggers fly, relishing in the scream of pain that followed as it sank into the creature's arm.

But The Other was powerful, and did not go down easily. It yanked the dagger out and flung a spell at the god, causing him to duck and roll in order to avoid the attack. Glancing back, he cursed and erected a shield over his brother's prone form. He jumped back to avoid a stream of fire, but was not fast enough. It caught him from thigh down, and he gritted his teeth against the onslaught of pain that followed.

The Other twisted and turned and evaded his attacks with surprising dexterity. Loki, holding up a shield for his brother, slowing the time around his brother's wound, fortifying the base and fighting a mage with spell after spell, was starting to feel the strain of the battle. He was at a disadvantage here, having to hold up the building to ensure that it didn't collapse on his brother while having to make sure that his brother's wounds were not aggravated as well.

He couldn't hear but he knew instinctively that the Other was laughing at his predicament. Loki knelt on the ground, eyes darting around for signs of his opponent as his mind raced to formulate a plan. _This might just work…_

The Other laughed, unaffected by the lack of light and the smoke covering the area. It saw the trickster god kneeling on the floor, searching for any signs of it. The chitauri grinned, it would put the trickster out of his misery soon. It was a pity, the Other wanted to play with the godling for a while more, alas the Other had orders from Thanos to eliminate him. The Other brought out a wicked looking dagger from its own subspace. The dagger's blade was at least a foot long and was as black as the abyss that it seemed to suck out any light from the its surroundings. The blade itself was curved and serrated, meant to deal as much damage as it came out as possible. Not that the victim of such a blade would feel the damage, but it made the dagger look all the more sinister. It was called _sál_ _Skemmdarvargur,_ the soul-destroyer. On a mortal, a mere touch would result in immediate death, and the mortal's soul would be destroyed. On an immortal, it would take more than a touch, though a stab would do, regardless of it being a mortal wound or not. As an immortal, their soul would require a longer time to destroy, and the _sál_ _Skemmdarvargur_ would cause excruciating pain within the immortal until the being's soul was destroyed.

Calling its magic to it, the Other grinned and appeared behind the kneeling form of Loki, who had noticed its appearance and jerked and tried to turn around. The dagger slid smoothly between the god's ribs, his green eyes widening as the dagger pierced his heart. The Other grinned, twisting the blade in pleasure, before its own eyes widened as the figure in front of him began disintegrating. In an ironic reversal of roles, the Other tried to get up quickly, but even as he turned, he felt the god slam a dagger into his back and a powerful kick sent it flying backwards.

Right into an open portal.

The Other's last vision was that of a smirking trickster god, his double disappearing into green wisps of magic.

Loki closed the portal as soon as the Other vanished into the depths of the void, feeling the drain on his magic at opening a portal without the aid of any magical objects almost immediately. He dropped to his knees tiredly, breathing hard. He crawled towards his brother, resting his forehead against the cold metal of his brother's breastplate after removing the hastily erected shield. Steeling himself, he gripped the metal pipe and yanked it out. Almost immediately, blood began gushing out, and Loki pressed his palm against the wound, ignoring the growing slickness of his hands. His eyes glowing with power, he poured his energy into his brother, forcing tissue to knit together, bones to straighten out and the flesh to seal over. He had never been a healer, healing magic not suited to his tastes, but like so many times before, his desperation fueled his magic and his emotions bent the _seidr_ to his will, fixing the wound in his brother's side.

Loki fell back with a gasp when the majority of the damage was fixed. All that was left of the original gaping wound was a shallow cut that would heal over in time. He barely had any more energy within him, having spent most of it on opening that portal and healing his brother's wound. Nevertheless, he heaved himself up with great effort, placing himself over his brother.

Drawing the magic that he had used to fortify the walls of the base, he dug deep within him, using up the last reserves of his magic and felt a tugging sensation in his gut, the two of them disappearing in a flash.

A second later, the entire base collapsed.

The avengers outside of the base were finishing off the last of the chitauri when the base collapsed. For some reason, the chitauri had fled some minutes ago, the remaining few being slaughtered one by one by the avengers.

The rumbling of the base caught all of their attentions and the five of them gaped at where the base had been. Tony flipped up his visor plate, staring at the base, "Fuck, Thor was in there. Cap!" He shouted, turning to Steve, "What do we do?"

Steve was grim-faced at the prospect of the thunder god lying somewhere at the bottom of all the rubble. He opened his mouth to respond when a bright flash cut him off. They all turned to see a disheveled god of mischief lying over an unconscious and bloodied god of thunder.

Loki breathed, feeling sharp pains every time he breathed in. He blinked sluggishly, unable to concentrate as the world spun. He didn't realize when he had fallen back, or pushed off by one of the avengers in their haste to get to their fellow members. Loki couldn't even summon the strength to feel annoyed or angry at their actions, instead, he half sat and half lay on the ground, looking but not seeing the avengers swarm over their comrade, the doctor frantically checking over his brother. He would have chuckled at their antics if he had the energy to- _he would have made sure his brother was fine before teleporting. The stupid mortals_ \- instead, he just remained where he was blankly looking at the group.

He blinked when he looked up and saw blue eyes as bright as his brother's, getting drawn into them for a moment. He blinked another time, and the face of the captain came into view, concern etched on his face. He blinked a third time, then collapsed onto the ground, the sounds of astonished yelps never reaching his ears.

" _ **Why do I need to bring Loki to you?"**_

" _ **Because he is a crucial part of the prophecy."**_

" _ **And because the Mad Titan's influence over him is not completely gone yet."**_

" _ **Bring him to us Percy Jackson, we cannot afford for him to deliver knowledge to the enemy, however unknowingly."**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out! :)
> 
> * I know in the books it says that Martha and George (the snakes on Hermes' phone) are coiled around his phone's antenna, but I figured that since there are hardly any phones with antennas nowadays, I might as well give Hermes an upgrade to a smartphone.
> 
> ** Yes, I jumped on the fourteen-instead-of-twelve-Olympians bandwagon. Simply because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Hades and Hestia, so I made them Olympians.
> 
> Right, just a note, I have read and heard of temporary deafness caused by close proximity to explosions (which left me wondering how Maria Hill didn't go deaf in the Avengers when that grenade blew up right next to her) but the person usually regains their hearing after awhile, this is associated with the 'ringing' in the ears that happens after an explosion. So, Loki was, if y'all read properly, right in front of the base when it exploded. While that would have probably rendered a normal human permanently deaf, Loki is a Jotun, which are hardier than humans. I'm not talking about the fire from the explosion, I'm referring to the force that the explosion creates. Since he is a creature that is much sturdier than humans, it only gave him temporary deafness instead of permanent damage. That, and I think that his magic could heal him.


	17. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long to update!!! I haven't been able to type anything, and FFnet doesn't allow direct imports of fics to ao3 so it's really tedious to transfer whole stories over. Nevertheless, I hope you guys find it in you to forgive me! *bows*
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Marvel sadly....

When Percy next opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the ceiling of his own bedroom in the Avengers Tower. He blinked a few times, before the image and the location registered in his mind. He sat up slowly, his mind running through everything that had happened after he awoke from the spell Hecate had cast on him.

" _Percy," Poseidon said, drawing the boy's attention to him, "You need to bring Loki to us, without him knowing the reason why."_

_Percy blinked at him, confused, "How am I supposed to do that? He's not exactly your average god you know."_

_Athena frowned, "That is why you are supposed to think of a way to get him here." She sniffed disdainfully, "We cannot be doing the entire work boy."_

_Percy scowled, "It's not that, I mean, why do I even need to get him here without him knowing? And how am I even supposed to do that? He's crazily smart, he'd find out in a heartbeat."_

_The goddess of wisdom sighed exasperatedly, "You have to bring him here without knowing the reason why, not without him knowing. There is a difference."_

_Percy gave her a deadpan stare, "No, there really isn't much of a difference, I mean, I'm supposed to get him here without knowing why, but the problem is that he'll probably know before I even get him within a mile of the Empire State Building."_

_Athena narrowed her eyes, "You have been assigned a job, you should do well to fulfill it. A second chance has been given to you, one that no other has been given the privilege of, it is a simple task, get Loki here but do not let him know what we plan on doing. I would have thought that being in that accursed mortal agency for three years would have given you a measure of the term subtlety."_

_Percy glared back at the goddess, "Yes well as I have said, in case you missed it the first time, Loki is_ nothing _like SHIELD's normal targets, who are, if I may remind you, human. He's a freaking god, that's like asking me to bring one of you to Asgard without letting you know why you are there or what the Allfather planned to do with you."_

_Athena's eyes widened, "Why you - "_

_Zeus shouted, "Enough!" interrupting the growing argument as his master bolt shooting out bolts of lightning for good measure. He frowned at the two of them, before gesturing to Apollo to recite the prophecy._

" _The world on his shoulders,_

_the hero shall falter and fall._

_Existence in smoulder,_

_until he rises once more._

_The trickster and ocean_

_shall overcome all odds._

_The reign of the titan_

_fall by flames in due course."_

_Percy refused to show any emotion at the words that had just come out of Apollo's mouth. He glanced up at the king of the gods, "So essentially I need to bring him here because he is a part of the prophecy?"_

_Zeus nodded, ignoring Percy's mumbled 'You couldn't have told me that right from the start?' and said, "He plays an important role, or so we think, and we cannot afford for his loyalties to be divided."_

_Percy stumbled back in shock, "Wait what? You want to force him to claim loyalty to Olympus?" he hissed._

" _No!" Hermes shouted, practically leaping forward "Nothing like that. His mind is not his own, not fully anyway. We cannot have him be in contact with the enemy, even if he does not know it."_

_Percy looked at him in shock, "You mean…?"_

_Hermes nodded, his face uncharacteristically serious, "Yes, a portion of his mind is still influenced by the chitauri and their master, hence why he seems to act somewhat bipolar."_

_Zeus cleared his throat, turning the attention back to him, "Bring the trickster to Olympus Percy Jackson that is your task. We cannot afford for him to deliver any knowledge to the enemy, however unknowingly."_

Percy shook himself out of his flashbacks, frowning slightly when he realized that JARVIS had not said anything since he appeared in his bed. Pausing in his movements to wash up, he narrowed his eyes and called softly, "JARVIS?"

Silence.

Percy pressed his lips together, a hand creeping inside his jacket to grip his gun, the cool metal pressed against his flesh. He opened his room door quietly, peeking out. When no sound reached his ears, he opened the door wider, stepping out into the hallway. He held the gun in front of him, one hand around the trigger, the other supporting it from below. He turned left and right, inching his way towards Loki's room, keeping the wall at his back all the while. He hoped the god was alright, even though he knew that the god was more likely to kill anyone who intruded rather than sit back and take the abuse.

Percy twisted the doorknob, sparing a second to feel surprise before he opened the door. The room was still as messy and chaotic as it was yesterday- had he really been on Olympus for a whole day?- but there was no sign of the trickster god. He carefully made his way to the bathroom, which was equally devoid of one god of mischief.

Percy quickly went out of the room, his gun lowering slightly. He didn't particularly like using a gun, because his aim was still slightly off, but he didn't think that a sword was practical in this situation. Especially if his suspicions were correct. Apollo _and_ Artemis had blessed him though, so his aim should have improved slightly, even if it was a miniscule change. He reached the common area of his level, and encountered no other. Frowning, he closed his eyes and extended his senses, heightened by the blessing he received from the gods and from the unlocking of his powers.

He stretched out his senses to his entire floor, confirming that there was no one on his level. He then turned his senses to the levels above, the action familiar even though it had been three years since he last used his powers in such a way. He 'felt' with his powers and stumbled across several beings on the top most floor, seemingly wandering around aimlessly. His eyes snapped open, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

By now he knew that the avengers were not in the tower, and he didn't know if those people had anything to do with their absence, or if they had gone on some avenger-only mission, since Loki was missing, and the whole point of the god's presence was to help the avengers. Percy sighed, he'd only been in his room for one day. _One day_. And everything had just gone to hell. Percy allowed a sadistic smirk stretch across his face as he tilted his head towards the ceiling, sensing the people moving around upstairs. He would have his answers soon anyway.

* * *

Thor felt like he was swimming in mud. His head was pounding as though he had had too much mead the night before, and his mouth felt as dry as the desert he had met his Lady Jane in. He felt…heavy, for a lack of better description. He groaned, bringing a hand to his head, or rather, attempting to. His entire body felt heavy, and he forced open his eyes, calling out to Mjolnir with his essence. He felt her comforting presence beside him as he wrenched his eyes open. Only to shut them a millisecond later when blinding light assaulted his eyes.

The thunder god hissed in pain, and a moment later, he felt the lights dim.

" _\- apologise for not dimming the light earlier Mister Odinson, I had not expected you to wake. I shall inform sir and Doctor Banner now."_

Thor blinked, slightly dazed, he heard the voice but didn't acknowledge it. He moved his hand experimentally, the numbness abating as he became more alert. He flexed his hand experimentally, wincing slightly as he hefted himself into a sitting position. The door to the room he was in slammed open as one hyper genius rushed in, a big smile on his face. "Point Break! Thought I'd have to change your name to sleeping beauty with the amount of time you spent sleeping!"

Thor just stared at him, furrowing his brows, "I do not understand the references. I am a male, on Asgard, males are not usually called beauties-"

Tony waved him off, "Forget it, it's a mortal thing."

Bruce just sighed and shooed Tony out, who pouted at being chased away. Thor sat silently as Bruce checked over him, "Any discomforts?"

Thor shook his head, "There was a slight numbness before, but now that I am awake I believe it is a mere side effect of being unconscious."

Bruce nodded absently, and Thor pressed, "What happened?"

The doctor looked up at him, "You don't remember?"

Thor shook his head, "It is muddled, I cannot seem to remember the events at the base clearly." He paused, "We were at a base yes?"

Bruce nodded, scribbling down something on his Starkpadd. He pushed his glasses up, "Well, that is expected after all… for us humans at least. Temporary amnesia after a period of unconsciousness is perfectly normal, especially if you were knocked out like we suspected you were. I'm not sure about Asgardians, but sometimes if the blow to the head is strong enough, memories are lost. It'll come back eventually though." He said, grinning at Thor's suddenly alarmed look.

"How long have I been unconscious?"

Bruce blinked, "Uh, the attack was yesterday morning, so you've been out for about…slightly more than twenty-four hours. ou should get some more sleep though, you need the rest to recover fully."

Thor frowned, he looked down thoughtfully, he had a stronger physique than the mortals, to be able to render him unconscious, and for so long, it had to be someone powerful. _Perhaps an individual with seidr?_

He blinked, "Wait, where is my brother?"

Bruce, who was headed for the door, and Tony, who had just walked back in, both looked at him in surprise. "Eh," Tony said, shrugging, "Not sure, we brought him to one of my rooms in this house, got far too many, no idea why I made so many rooms for anyway. Its not like I even use it…"

Bruce coughed discreetly, "Right! Anyway, we took him to one of the rooms and left him there. Haven't seen him since yesterday and JARVIS never reported anything so he's most probably still sleeping."

Thor frowned, "Why is my brother unconscious? Was he injured?"

Tony looked at him weirdly, "Right, I forgot that you were unconscious. Your brother saved your life. Vanished into the base and came out with you right before the thing collapsed."

Thor froze, his eyes widening in shock, Tony would have said more, but he was cut off by JARVIS.

" _Sir, Mister Jackson is attempting to get in touch."_

Tony looked up for a moment, then he jumped and whooped in delight, "Hell yeah! Finally, thought the kid would never have made contact!" he dashed out of the room so quickly that it left the remaining two occupants stunned.

"Well," Bruce said, smiling slightly, "It's good to have you back, just rest for now, we still don't know what spell took you out, if it was even one, and what effects it has." He walked to the door, "I better go see what's going on, we'll inform you later."

Thor nodded, watching as the other man quickly left the room. He looked down, feeling both shock and guilty. Shock because Loki had apparently saved his life at the risk of his own, guilt because despite what Thor had claimed about Loki being his brother and the likes of it, he _had_ given up hope on the younger prince. He felt ashamed for feeling surprised that Loki had saved his life, though he tried to convince himself that it was expected. _After all, he told me numerous times that he hated me. It would be no surprise if he had left me for dead._

Still, Thor couldn't shake off the gnawing feeling in his gut. His mother's voice from so long ago echoed in his head- _trust me when I say that your brother does not hate you-_ he frowned, fisting the sheets. There was no reason for Loki to act so secretly, if he had issues or problems he could always tell him! Hiding in the shadows like that, it would only make him look suspicious.

Thor growled in frustration, his brother had a bad habit of keeping secrets, and Thor hated it. _But,_ an insidious voice whispered in his mind _, if he had told you, would you have believed it?_

Thor shook his head, he would have believed his brother. Right?

* * *

Percy closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling a tugging sensation in his gut. With the return of his powers, he had more stamina to do this than when his powers were still kept under lock and key. He breathed and with a soft _swoosh_ , disappeared into mist, much like how his father appeared and disappeared. He reappeared in the kitchen, behind the counter. Crouching quickly, he held his breath, listening for any signs of being found. When he was satisfied that he hadn't been caught, he peered round the counter.

Almost immediately he cursed in every language he knew. Silently, of course. He had sensed several human presence, but there were far more than that. He scowled, analyzing the chitauri present. They were standing in a rough circle around the group of humans. He narrowed his eyes and counted.

 _Seven chitauri and six humans,_ he thought _, there shouldn't be such a big group in this place. Especially not since the avengers aren't here…_

"-can you find him?" came a low voice from the assorted group.

Percy cocked his head and listened, clicking the safety off from his gun.

"No sir, he's not in this tower, we searched, and we can't operate the machine either, it shut down on its own after we tried hacking it. The search from the base hasn't given any results either-argh!" the boy was cut off as the other grabbed the front of his shirt and hoisted him off the ground. He growled, "If he isn't here, or anywhere in the world, then where the hell is he?" he roared. "Space?" the other man just trembled in fear.

Percy smirked, _how about right above the Empire State Building assholes?_

The man gave a disgusted snort at his underling and threw him to the ground. He turned to the others, who all stood around, shifting uncertainly. "Well?" he demanded, "What are you all waiting for? Find me Percy Jackson now!"

Percy grinned, _and that, is my cue._ In a fluid movement, he stood up from behind the counter and fired off in quick succession. Four of the humans dropped to the ground, while the leader had reacted quickly and whipped out his own weapon and fired back. The remaining boy was huddled on the ground, ironically having his life saved by the man who had thrown him to the ground earlier.

Percy ducked again, this time dodging both gunfire and plasma blasts. His eyes flashed and the sprinkler system came to life, something that Tony had insisted he didn't need because DUM-E was his fire extinguisher but which Pepper had insisted on installing for 'in case' situations. Percy was glad of that now, even if the situation she had in mind was probably nothing like what was happening now. In any case, it was more like the water just started bursting from the ceiling instead of the sprinkler system well, sprinkling water all over the room. The aliens and the men were all shocked, with the leader cursing and slipping slightly on the now soaked floor.

Taking advantage of this distraction, he vaulted over the counter, ducking into a roll immediately as the chitauri fired a sloppy blast in his general direction. He rolled to a kneeling position and shot the chitauri nearest to him between the eyes. The alien dropped to the floor and Percy kicked off and jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the shot that was aimed at his heart. He spared a glance at the boy on the floor, who seemed to be fumbling for his weapon and froze him to the floor.

The leader of the human group snarled and leapt forward, his gun still trained on Percy. If he wasn't used to fighting in wet conditions, Percy would have been slipping all over the place like an amateur. Instead, he did a baseball slide and slipped between the legs of a chitauri, firing up into its face as he slid past. He twisted and kicked upwards, slamming his leg into another chitauri's hand, causing it to drop his weapon. His other leg bent so that he was half kneeling on the ground and he brought his gun round into the alien's face and fired point blank.

He twisted and ducked, hissing as a bullet tore past him, grazing his shoulder as he avoided it. He stood, half crouched, as the human leader and the remaining four chitauri converged on him. Scowling, Percy twisted his left foot, causing ice to cover the legs of the chitauri, they chattered in surprise, and fired into the ice that covered their legs. In that second of distraction, he disappeared and appeared behind the man, bringing his gun down hard on the man's head, watching dispassionately as he crumpled to the ground, blood pooling around him.

He shifted his head to the right, feeling the heat of the blast as it sailed past him. He heard the shattering of glass behind him and winced inwardly, _sorry Tony…_ He threw himself to the side as a chitauri leapt at him, the sharp end of its weapon aimed at his heart. The other three covered it by firing continuously at him, causing him to duck and weave through the attacks with no chance to retaliate. He twitched a hand, and a wave of water slammed into the three chitauri, giving him a chance attack. He ran at the chitauri that was attacking him, eying its look of surprise at his boldness. He smirked and disappeared, appearing right in front of it. He grinned, his left hand shooting out and grabbing the weapon, his right pulling the trigger, firing twice into the chitauri's face.

He yanked its weapon out and threw it like a javelin, cursing as he was slammed backwards by a powerful force. Winded, he rolled to the side, knowing that staying still meant certain death, even if his ribs were groaning in protest at the movement. He pressed a hand to the ground, ice shards growing and impaling the two chitauri that were unable to move fast enough. The last chitauri dodged quickly and managed to avoid getting impaled. It ran right into one of Percy's bullets as it did so, and crumpled to the ground, a hole in its skull.

Percy stood up slowly, breathing heavily. He winced a little when he breathed in a little too hard. That blast would have punched through him had he not hastily summoned a thin layer of ice to cushion the blow. _Then again_ , he thought, grimacing _, that might have bruised a few ribs._

He surveyed the entire area, which had been destroyed, again, making sure that all the chitauri and the men were dead. He heard a soft whimpering, and he turned to the boy he had frozen to the ground, moving silently towards him. He waved a hand, ice forming over the entire ceiling, stopping all water from falling. The ground was soaking wet and he looked at the boy, who stared back at him, frightened out of his wits.

He unfroze the man and waited, watching closely as the man slowly sat up, afraid of moving too much. He looked at Percy with wide eyes, who asked softly, "What is your name?"

The boy stared at him unblinkingly for a few more seconds, then said hesitantly, "M-M-Matthias s-sir."

Percy gave him a look, in the past, he would have given the boy a warm smile, but he wasn't that naive boy any longer, he knew better than to trust the boy in front of him, no matter how young and scared he might look. He just gave a neutral stare, albeit softening his gaze slightly as he crouched down, remaining several feet away.

"I'm going to ask some questions." He said, looking straight into the other's eyes, "And you're going to answer them. I won't resort to torture," he continued when he saw the slightly panicked look, "I'm not so heartless. I just want some information Matthias, is that okay?"

The man, Matthias just nodded slowly.

Percy took that as his sign to continue, "Right, who are you with? And why are you looking for me?"

Matthias just gulped and licked his lips slightly, "I-I'm with SHIELD actually," he whispered, looking down, "As in, I work for them, but in a way I work with Mr Stark as well, one of the security guards in this building."

"Is that how they got in?"

"I-I'm sorry!" the boy cried out, "Th-they threatened m-me, and my family. They said that they'd kill them if I didn't help them!"

Percy leaned back, glancing sympathetically at the boy in front of him. Well, they were almost the same age, but Percy had seen too much to even consider himself a boy anymore.

The boy shifted on the ground, continuing, "Th-they killed them anyway." He whispered, "They promised but they killed them anyway. I, I didn't know what to do, but they forced me to do it, I swear I'm sorry!"

Percy didn't say anything, just continued to stare at the boy. Matthias swallowed nervously and said, "I-I'm not sure why they were looking for you, only that they need you for something or the other."

Percy inhaled sharply, frowning, he was familiar with being hunted, it was practically how he lived since he was born, but those that hunted him were usually monsters or gods or titans or even primordials, they weren't usually humans and aliens. He turned back to the boy, "Tell me Matthias, is SHIELD compromised?"

The boy nodded silently, "Most of them were killed in the initial attack, while the chitauri took up their forms. Some of the others gave in and agreed to work with them." He hesitated slightly, and then peered up at Percy, "I don't know where they took the director."

Percy scowled, annoyance flashing through him. Now he didn't know whether or not the director was alive - how did the boy even know that he was going to ask that anyway? A nagging feeling told him that Fury may very well have been killed by the aliens. He hissed under his breath, startling the other boy. He glanced at him apologetically, "How old are you?" Matthias licked his lips and replied, "Almost nineteen sir."

Percy nodded, _as I thought, he's just a few years younger than I am_. He tilted his head slightly, "Stay here, I'm going to contact the avengers."

He was startled when the other leapt forward and grabbed his arm, a dagger materializing in his other hand on instinct. Matthias froze, looking at the dagger at his throat warily, he gulped, "I-I-I'm sorry. I j-just wanted to say that I-I don't think that contacting the avengers is a good idea."

Percy moved the dagger away by a few centimeters staring at the boy suspiciously, "Why not?"

"B-Because I'm supposed to be working against th-them remember? What if they think I'm a spy?"

Percy tilted his head, choosing his words carefully, "I'm sure that that is not the case. But I have to contact them. That's not up for negotiation. We'll settle the other loopholes later."

The boy nodded meekly and let go. Percy eyed him critically and stood up, turning to find a Starkpad that he could use to 'wake' JARVIS up. He walked to the kitchen, leaving the boy there, supposedly unsupervised. Which wasn't through, because Percy had tagged him with his senses. As far as he knew, the boy was either a really a good actor, or he truly was afraid, and as he wasn't the god of truths, nor the god of lies, he couldn't tell. Once out of sight, he disappeared and appeared on Steve's level, silently apologizing to the other for rummaging through his room. He knew that Steve had a Starkpad somewhere, though he almost never used it.

Once he found it, he immediately unlocked it, rifling through the programs, wondering silently how he could contact JARVIS. In the end, he found an interface that allowed him to order JARVIS manually. Blinking in surprise at his luck, he thanked Tony for creating this interface, which was primarily for Thor and Steve, who were unused to the technology that was JARVIS and uncomfortable with speaking to air that they found it easier to just type their requests, though Thor tended to punch through the pad.

He grinned, typing silently on the pad, waiting for a moment before an almost unnoticeable hum filled the air. "JARVIS?" he questioned, hoping that the AI was awake.

A short pause then- _"Mister Jackson."_

Percy grinned, putting down the pad on Steve's bed. "Hey JARV, how're you feeling?"

" _I feel perfectly fine Mister Jackson. Thank you for asking. What may I help you with?"_ Came the reply.

"Right," Percy said, his voice serious, "Can you connect me to Tony? He's the one that has the suit that can connect with you. And," he paused, "Keep this on this level, I don't want Matthias, the other guy upstairs, to know."

" _No problem."_

Percy waited for a moment before Tony's excited voice sounded, making Percy roll his eyes. "Hello Stark." He said, cutting into Tony's senseless babble. It was a comical sight to behold as the avengers minus Thor all scrambled to fit into the screen, each screaming their 'Hello'. Well, Natasha didn't scream, she just nudged her way in and said hello. He raised an eyebrow at their antics and sighed, crossing his arms, waiting for them to settle down. Eventually, Steve emerged on the screen, with the rest scattered about him.

"Percy," Steve said, relief evident in his voice, "Did anything happen to you?"

Percy blinked, cocking his head to one side, "Why? Did something happen to you guys?"

Steve sighed, "We got into a bit of trouble when we went to answer a distress call."

Percy narrowed his eyes, "Does this have anything to do with SHIELD?"

The avengers all looked at him in shock, "How-?" Steve stuttered.

Sighing, Percy looked upwards, a frown tugging at his lips, "Because I've just been attacked by SHIELD personnel and chitauri alike, and I've received news that SHIELD has been compromised."

"Shit." Tony cursed, "What happened to them? And where did they attack you?"

"Ah," Percy winced, rubbing a hand behind his head, "About that, I'm sorry Tony, uh, you probably need to redecorate. Again."

Tony blinked for a moment then groaned, "Not _again."_ He grumbled.

He was pushed aside by Natasha, who looked at him sternly, "We were attacked on the quinjet, and the base we received the distress call from was a trap for us. What happened to you?"

Percy frowned, and began telling them about how he felt that someone was watching his every move when he was on the Helicarrier and how when he escaped and came back he found a group of chitauri and humans in the living room. He decided to omit the part about him detouring for a visit to Olympus, the avengers didn't need to know about that just yet. When he finished, they all stood in contemplative silence.

"You mentioned this Matthias, is he trustworthy?" Natasha said.

Percy frowned, "No." he said bluntly, "He looks like he's afraid, and I believe that he is afraid, but I don't know how much of it is an act and how much of it is not. I'm not a good judge when it comes to these kind of stuff." He replied honestly.

Natasha nodded and looked at Steve, who looked back at her. The avengers exchanged a glance before Steve turned back to him, "Right, just bring him here then, we'll keep an eye on him. If he is a spy… I don't want him running around outside."

"Tch." Clint snorted, crossing his arms over his chest, glaring, "As if taking care of one asshole isn't bad enough."

Percy scowled at him, "Speaking of, where's Loki?"

Bruce answered this time, "He's in his room, he kind of exerted himself trying to get us out of this mess."

Percy frowned in concern, "What happened?"

"Well…"

"Its too long to say now, you should get here as fast as possible." Steve said.

Percy raised an eyebrow, "How, exactly am I supposed to get to wherever you are?"

Tony cursed, "Fuck. I forgot, we're in Malibu, I have a house here. And for how to get here…" he turned to the other avengers, who looked as lost for ideas as him.

"We can't just take the quinjet over." Natasha murmured.

"Neither a private plane, SHIELD monitors those." Clint said.

"Thor's out of the question, he needs to rest." Bruce interjected.

Tony shrugged, "The suit can't carry two people and SHIELD recognizes it anyway."

"Mortals, so useless. I'll fetch him." A voice piped up from behind them.

Almost collectively, the five avengers whirled around to face the newcomer. Percy blinked, slightly shocked at the god's appearance. From the short time he knew the other, he recognized that the other preferred to look as immaculate as possible. To see him so haggard and disheveled now… Percy was shocked indeed.

"Are you sure you should be going anywhere looking like that?" Percy asked.

A glare was his only response.

"Fine," he said, shrugging carelessly, "It's up to you. But I have another person with me. Can you transport the both of us?"

Loki scowled, "What do you take me for, a weakling?"

"Well," Percy said, smirking, "You did collapse didn't you?"

If looks could kill, Percy would have shriveled up by now, but he was used to beings of power glaring at him for one reason or the other, so he just grinned cheekily at the god of mischief.

"That was a situation with extenuating circumstances." Loki said stiffly, "It will not happen again."

Percy just continued grinning, "Well, I don't know, I don't feel like being left behind mid-teleportation."

However he did it, Loki's glare intensified, "If you keep that up," he hissed, "I _will_ leave you behind mid-teleportation, as you call it."

The avengers just stared, transfixed at the banter between the two of them.

"Woah wait." Tony said, cutting between the two of them, "Who said anything about _you_ going Reindeer Games?"

Loki just turned a disdainful glance on him, "You have no other options to fetch them over. Obviously, I am the only one you can rely on. Again."

He just smirked at them and disappeared, appearing behind Percy, who just sighed, looked apologetically at the avengers and cut the connection.

He turned to give a disapproving glance at Loki, who just looked at his nails as if they were the most important thing in the world. "You could have just told them."

"Where is the fun in that?"

Percy scowled, "Look, I know you don't just spontaneously do things for a reason, let alone offer to do something that could be seen as an errand. Why the Hades did you offer to pick me up?"

Loki smirked, "Well then, you are an observant one aren't you, Perseus?" he purred, leaning in.

Percy just crossed his arm and glared at the god, raising an eyebrow.

Loki just sighed, "Not fun at all." He looked at the boy, "You feel different. More powerful, and I want to know why."

Percy didn't give away anything, but inwardly he was panicking, he'd just come back from Olympus a bare hour ago, and already Loki, who had taken a look at him for less than five minutes, through a computer screen, could tell that he was different.

"Different?" Percy snorted, "I'm still the same. Maybe your senses _are_ muddled. You sure you should be up and walking about?" He said, turning away from the god.

He was shocked when he was yanked backwards, the god holding his arm in a tight grip. "You cannot lie to the god of lies Perseus. How many times must I say that?"

Percy glared at him, "What do you want?" he said lowly.

"I want you to tell me why." Loki smirked, "If not… I shall leave you behind mid-teleportation."

Percy glared at him. He didn't want people to know so quickly, but on the other hand… He did have permission from above to tell when it was necessary.

"I'll tell you in Malibu. No, that's not up for negotiation."

Loki just stared into his eyes, determining if he was going to back out. The god leaned back, releasing his arm, "That wasn't so hard was it? You truly are interesting Perseus." He said, walking down the hallway.

Percy just rubbed the area where the god had grabbed his arm, he glared at the floor, cursing Hermes' name. He remembered what the god had told him just before he left Olympus.

" _Percy wait!"_

_Percy turned, and saw a certain jogger running towards him. He tilted his head to one side, not really wanting to talk to this particular god._

" _Percy," Hermes said, wincing slightly at Percy's expression, his blue eyes boring into Percy's, "I know you've done so much already. But, if its possible, please, can you talk to Loki?"_

_Percy blinked, "I'm already going to have to talk to him isn't it?"_

" _No, not like that." Hermes said, licking his lips, "Talk to him, as a friend. Please. He, he deserves a second chance. The attack on New York was never his fault. And, he was never like this in the past."_

_Percy just stared at him, "You want me to talk to him, like how I talked to Luke?"_

_Hermes winced again at the mention of his dead son, but nodded, "He was my friend Percy," the god said quietly, "He's changed, but I believe that he's still in there somewhere."_

_Percy looked at the god and nodded, watching mutely as a relieved smile emerged on the god's face._

" _Thank you."_

Percy shook away the memory, wondering if Loki felt like he did, like there was something confusing yet interesting about the other. He followed the god down the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review on your way out! :)


	18. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Marvel :(

Percy found Loki standing intimidatingly over Matthias, who had a look of pure terror on his face, shifting backwards to put some space between himself and the crazed god. Percy sighed, he was only several minutes behind the god, how in the world did this happen?

"Children," he drawled, getting their attention, "Stop playing, let's go."

As intended, his insult drew indignant scowls on both of their faces, but he just smirked, his eyes hard. He tilted his head, Loki, who was watching sneered once, then gestured for them to huddle closer to him. Matthias just remained on the floor, shaking his head.

"W-w-where are we going?" The shaking boy asked.

Loki just gave him a baleful look, while Percy gave Loki a warning glance. He turned to Matthias and softened his features, "We're going to meet the avengers. Now come on, let's not dally," he smirked at the god, "Otherwise someone might decide to leave us behind."

Loki, who heard the exchange, took it as his cue to stretch a hand out, the scowl on his face a clear sign of his annoyance at being delegated a messenger's job.

Percy shot a glare at him, _you offered the ride, deal with it._

Loki glared back; _I agreed to transport one, not two._

Percy rolled his eyes, _it's not that much of a difference._

Loki scowled; _I do not need to be tainted anymore by mortals._

Percy just turned his death glare on the trickster god, who huffed and barked at the third person in the destroyed room, "Hurry up mortal filth. You are wasting my time."

Matthias, who was looking between them confusedly during their silent conversation, jumped up and quickly scuttled over to the both of them. Percy grabbed Loki's hand, while Matthias grabbed onto Percy's, not wanting to have contact with the thoroughly annoyed god, which suited Loki just fine. Percy sighed; _I'm dealing with a bunch of kids._

With a tug, the three of them disappeared from the tower.

The moment they reached the mansion, the avengers all swarmed them. With an ease that came with years of practice, Loki detached himself from the mob and headed back into his own room. He had no wish to mingle around with the mortals any longer than necessary. It was torturous enough to be in their presence. He wanted to take the opportunity, while the mortals had forgotten about his bonds, to examine them thoroughly. He knew he could not leave, but it did not mean that he could not take this opportunity to weaken his bonds. He didn't have the chance to do so earlier when everything went to hell.

Loki scowled, he also needed to meditate, it was unsettling, how the Other had managed to enter his mind so easily, and he needed to find out why and how. He lightly touched his ear, noting that there had been no lingering damage. He surmised that it must have been the close proximity of the blast that had rendered him temporarily deaf.

As he rounded the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks. His external features didn't waver, but he cursed inwardly. There was no chance of him being able to examine his bonds now.

He inclined his head, "And what can I do for my dear brother today?" he mocked.

Thor, who was leaning against the wall outside Loki's room, gave no indication that he was upset by Loki's customary greeting; instead, he just turned stormy blue eyes on his brother. Loki was immediately on guard, he knew how much his brother hated when he scorned him, and it was a personal game for Loki to see how fast his brother took to transit from passive to enraged. A game that never failed to bring Loki any certain amount amusement. Now, seeing his brother's lack of reaction made him wary. An impassively angry Thor was infinitely more dangerous than a raging one.

"Loki." Thor said.

The god in question inclined his head, "Is my name the only thing you can say?"

"Why?" the thunder god questioned.

Loki raised his eyebrow and smirked, ignoring the tightening sensation in his chest, "Why what? You have to be more specific brother mine, or did you think that I was a mind reader as well?"

Thor just continued staring at him, his blue eyes unreadable, "Why did you save me?"

Loki blinked, thrown aback by the question. He laughed, "Why, did you not want to be saved? I was not aware that you were suicidal, if I did, I would have left you there."

Thor frowned, taking a step forward, glaring at his brother, "This is no time for games and riddles Loki. Why?"

Loki sneered, stepping backwards, "Why should you care? Perhaps I have my own agenda in my mind. My own _nefarious_ plans as you would tell your friends."

Thor's eyes widened, and for a moment there, Loki saw that he believed him, believed that Loki had the mind to betray them. A part of him scoffed at his brother's foolishness, no schemer in the right mind would reveal their plan, however small, to anyone. He promptly ignored the way something died in him at his brother's casual rejection of him. But then, the thunder god shook his head and pressed forward, his bright blue eyes pleading yet full of doubt, "No. that cannot be it, Loki please, why?"

Loki snarled at him, "Why does it matter? You would not believe me anyway!"

"That is not true brother!"

" _Do not call me brother_. I can see the doubt in your eyes, _golden prince_." He spat, green eyes sharp and piercing, "You would only disregard my word as lies. Like you always have. There is no point in me speaking when you would all draw your own assumptions anyway. You call me the liesmith, but you and your ilk are the ones who take my words and spit them back into my face."

The two brothers faced each other in the hallway, the air heavy with tension. Loki breathed heavily, while Thor just stared at him, sadness in his eyes. "Why do you twist my words so brother? You have changed so much. I do not even recognize you now."

Loki stared incredulously at him, then threw his head back and laughed. He continued laughing hysterically, even when Thor frowned in anger and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him hard, demanding to know what happened.

Loki just laughed and laughed and laughed. "You should see yourself Thor." He said between hysterics, _"This,"_ he hissed, "is what I am. This is what I have always been; you just naively think that everything can go back to normal. That you can wipe the slate clean and turn back time. I am _not_ the same as I was in the past, neither are _you,_ I am not the brother you think I am, and _I am not one of your creations_!."

Thor gritted his teeth in anger, he was trying, he truly was, but his brother was not letting him in. "Can you not see that I am trying my best Loki? I have already apologized, what more do you want from me?"

Loki just started laughing again, leaning his head backwards against the wall. He stared straight into his brother's eyes, "You truly think that a simple word will suffice?" he hissed, "You truly think that just because you uttered an apology that you have _no idea_ what for, everything will return to normal?" he barked a laugh, "How utterly naive, you _have_ been hanging around your _precious_ little mortals for far too long." He sneered, shoving Thor away from him.

The thunder god just looked at him in surprise; Loki stalked down the hallway, turning to face him, the lighting above the trickster casting a menacing shadow on his face, "What do I want from you? I want you to suffer. I want you to suffer as I did. I want you to experience everything that I went through. I want you to understand how it feels like to be scorned and mocked every single day of your life. I want you to know how it feels like to have _everything you love_ be torn away from you. I want you to feel how it feels like to _burn in hell_." He snarled, resisting the burning sensation behind his eyes. He would _not_ shed any tears here, not in front of anyone, and not in front of _this_ man in particular.

Thor looked at him sadly, "You know there was no choice Loki, it was an order from Father-"

" _THERE WAS ALWAYS A CHOICE!"_ Loki shouted, "What gave the Allfather the right to condemn them like that? What gave him the right to decide what they were? Who gave him the right to decide who lived or died?"

"Loki," Thor tried, raising his hands in a placating manner, wanting his brother to calm down, "they were monsters-"

It had the opposite effect, Loki rounded on him and slammed him against the wall, his green eyes bright and filled with hate and anger, " _Do not, ever, call them monsters_." He shoved Thor again for good measure, and staring straight into his eyes, "You Asgardians are the true monsters."

He whirled around and went into his room, slamming the door behind him. Thor stood alone in the hallway, feeling annoyed, frustrated and guilty for reasons he did not know. He slammed a fist into the wall, cracks forming from where his fist met the concrete.

"You know, I don't think Tony is going to appreciate that."

Thor turned and saw Percy standing at the other end of the hallway. The boy raised his eyebrow at the spider-cracks in the wall, unconsciously mirroring Loki's expression earlier. He cocked his head to one side, ocean green eyes not betraying anything, "Everything alright?"

Thor nodded vaguely, while Percy frowned. It was unlike the other god to be anything less than cheerful or loud. he stopped the god before he could leave, looking at him straight in the eye. "Look, Thor," he said, watching the god raise his head to him, "Just, just remember, there are three sides to every story. Yours, his" Percy nodded in the direction of Loki's room, "and the truth. Alright?"

Thor, not really understanding, nodded anyway, and giving Loki's room final glance, he walked past Percy, who moved aside to give him space to walk. He observed the slumped shoulders of the god, and his melancholic demeanor. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he and Loki had had a fight, even if he didn't have SHIELD training, but about what, Percy didn't know. He had heard some of the conversation, but without any context, it made no sense. The advice he gave Thor was neutral enough though, he hoped that the god understood its meaning before he severed the relationship between him and his brother for good. He looked at Loki's door, and knocked on it.

"If you value your life, you will disappear from there now."

Percy raised his eyebrow, "Wow," he commented, "That's quite a threat."

Inside the room, Loki scowled at the sarcastic tone in Percy's voice. He knew that he was the one who had asked to speak with him, but he could not bring himself to entertain anyone right now. He kept quiet, hoping that if he did so, Percy would take the hint and leave.

After a while of silence, Loki heard a sigh, and footsteps shuffling, he sneered silently, _they are all the same, and they leave eventually. No one wants to deal with Loki Liesmith afterall._

"I'll be waiting by the cliff side* at midnight. If you still want to talk that is."

Loki blinked in shock as the words registered in his mind. He turned to look at the door, confusion thrumming through him. He read the double meaning in his sentence easily, being hailed as the wordsmith, he had a way with words that no one else had, but he could not understand why. Outside, Percy waited for a few seconds, then moved to find his room, assuming that the god had heard him and hoping that he had understood the double meaning but that he was just blatantly ignoring him.

Loki listened as Percy shuffled outside for a few more moments then walked away, his footsteps fading away. He frowned, not knowing why he felt the wave of anger and hurt within him subside just a little bit.

* * *

_Slightly before midnight_

Percy walked to the edge of the house, mansion actually, looking down at the sheer drop, the waves crashing against the base of the cliff rhythmically. He gazed out at the expanse of the ocean, feeling comforted by the close proximity of the ocean. Despite being without most of his powers for the better part of three years, he had still retained some control over water and its various forms, and he thought that that was more than enough of a reminder of his past life. He hadn't known how much he missed feeling the ocean until now. Not just sitting by the ocean side and hearing the waves, but the intimate connection that he'd had with the ocean that was dampened when his powers had been suppressed. He breathed in the salty scent of the water, feeling completely at peace. With a soft instruction to JARVIS to not alarm anyone, he threw himself off the cliff.

The water enveloped him like a lover's embrace, wrapping around him as he dove into the ocean. It didn't let him crash against the rocks at the base of the cliff, and brought him down deeper into the ocean, to the base of the sea. His feet landed lightly on the seabed, the feeling of the gritty sediments beneath his feet causing him to open his eyes. He let go of his the breath he held in on instinct, breathing in again as though he was on land instead of underwater. He looked up, seeing the underbellies of the waves crashing against each other above him, the water illuminated lightly by the light of Artemis' power. He smiled lightly, just standing at the bottom of the ocean, letting marine creatures swim past him as he reacquainted himself with the ocean.

He grinned lightly to himself as the marine creatures noticed him and swarmed around him, their excited voices running through his head as they tried to climb over one another in their haste to see the son of Poseidon. He just smirked and waved them all away, answering their questions patiently and deflecting others that he didn't want to answer.

It wasn't until a particular white seabass swam up to him and said, _my lord, there is someone on the edge of the cliff!_ That he remembered that he was supposed to meet Loki there.

He cursed under his breath, propelling himself with his powers towards the base of the cliff. He turned back and pointed to the fishes still staring at him, "Don't repeat what I said you hear me?"

He swam to the surface, breaking through the water. He saw Loki getting up to leave and shouted, "Hey! Wait!"

* * *

At midnight, Loki threw caution to the wind and walked to the cliff behind the mansion, thoughts running through his head. He didn't think about his earlier conversation with his brother, knowing that it would only ignite anger in him, and he did not want that to come up while he was speaking with Percy-he stopped short, frowning, _where did that thought come from?_

He shook his head, he wanted to know why the other raven haired boy seemed different. While the mortals could not tell, Loki recognized that Percy had become more powerful, even through one of their mortal screens, that was obvious, but he did not know why or how. The most logical guess would be that the Greeks had blessed him, but the trickster god did not understand why they thought that now was a good time to bless him. If they had wanted to do so, they would have - should have - done it years before.

Another thing that puzzled him was that Percy was working in SHIELD when Loki came back to Midgard the second time, although he clearly wasn't when he came to Midgard the first time. It may have been a voluntary choice on the other boy's part, but Loki didn't believe it. He was a hero, he did not need to work for the mortals who had no clue as to what the boy had done for them and their world, and he could easily remain with the gods where his deeds would be heralded and praised.

There were many things about Percy that puzzled Loki. For starters, he did not look like one who was a heralded hero, for another, he did not act as though he had a life full of friends and people who loved him. And there, Loki resented him for that. He had friends who would die for him, who _had_ died for him, and he had a whole life that was perfect, something which Loki wanted, but he never got.

The god scowled, he both hated and liked being around the other, he hated it because it made him contemplate about things he'd rather leave alone, but he also liked it because Percy was unbiased. He didn't treat him like others did, he didn't scorn when he saw his true appearance, nor, like the incident this morning, the boy did not assume that he had attacked the other mortal, instead, he judged correctly that the other was shocked by the appearance of Midgard's most hated enemy.

He shook his head, stepping into the cool night air. The sound of waves crashing far below drifted up to his ears and he sat down at the edge, keeping an eye out for the hero.

Minutes passed, and soon enough, it was well past midnight and there was still no sign of Percy. Loki scowled, annoyed and undeniably hurt that he had been tricked into coming here and left to wait like a fool. He got up and was about to leave when he heard vague sounds of shouting.

The god, with his advanced hearing, caught the sound as it drifted upwards and looked around for a moment, before looking over the edge. His eyes widened when he saw Percy bobbing up and down in the water, the boy's bright grin startling him for a moment. He didn't think that he'd ever seen the other smile that much before.

"Do you want to stay up there or do you want to come down?" Percy shouted.

Loki just continued staring, "I-What?"

Percy laughed, "Never mind then I'll come up." he grinned and crouched, jumping up with a boost from the water as he landed on the cliff side beside the god of mischief.

Loki just stared at him, bewildered. "You-"

Percy scratched his head lightly, slightly embarrassed, "Yeah, look, sorry about that, I guess I lost track of time while I was under., that happens sometimes if I'm too overwhelmed. There were a lot of fish though. So it took some time to answer all their questions."

Loki just looked at him uncomprehendingly. He gave him a weird look, "You were, talking to the fish?"

Percy tilted his head and smirked, "Yeah I was. Fish like to talk a lot apparently. They get all excited when a son of Poseidon drops by them."

Loki just blinked at him, "Alright…"

Percy looked at him, "You ready to talk now?"

The other averted his eyes, staring out at the endless ocean. "I assumed you were not going to turn up."

Percy looked at him, "Oh shit, look, I really am sorry about that, I wasn't trying to trick you, I swear."

The trickster god still didn't look at him, but he muttered, "I believe you."

Percy hummed and sat down, leaning back on his hands, staring up at the full moon in the sky, imagining Artemis in her carriage with her deer pulling the carriage along while she did her rounds. "Can I ask you a question?"

Beside him, Loki tensed, but nodded.

Still looking at the moon, he asked softly, "Why did you save me?"

Loki jerked slightly in surprise, looking at Percy, who had just unknowingly repeated the same question that Thor had asked earlier that day.

Percy just continued staring at the dark sky, eyes seeking out the constellations that he knew, "I mean, you said in your own flowery way that you owed me a debt, and I still have no idea what you mean, because I've tried searching my mind and I can't think of anytime that I've met you before, let alone done something that would allow you to owe me a debt."

Loki just stared at the boy, did he truly not know what he did? Or was he pretending to be oblivious?

Percy, sensing his stare, looked at him from the corner of his eye, "So?"

"Why do you want to know?" Loki asked, wary of the answer that he would get.

Percy shrugged, "Why not? I find it a little awkward that I did something without knowing to. And bam! I suddenly have you owing me a debt. How does that work anyway?"

Loki gave him an appraising glance, "You seem different."

"Must be the ocean, I usually am more relaxed after I've taken a dive."

"What happened?"

"Hey!" Percy said indignantly, "I asked first! I'll answer your question later. You answer mine first."

Loki rolled his eyes, copying the boy's position, slinging an arm over his knee; he looked at the waves in the distance, imagining the slight silhouette of a serpent amongst the water. "Do you truly not know?" he murmured.

Percy raised an eyebrow, "If I did, I wouldn't be asking would I?"

Loki remained silent for a while longer, surprised when Percy didn't rush him into answering his question. He threw caution to the wind and said, "You saved my son."

Percy blinked several times, his jaw dropping in surprise, "Whoa - wait - what?"

Loki scowled, "Do I need to repeat myself?"

Percy shook his head, "No, no its not that, just," he squinted at the god, "You have a son?"

Loki looked at him, slightly surprised, "That is all you have to say?"

"What else am I supposed to say? Oh, it was your son I saved? Can I have a hall full of gold for my efforts now?" Percy said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

Loki looked away, it was what he had been thinking actually, but he decided not to comment, instead, explaining to Percy who was it that he had saved that night.

"You saved my son from the wrath of Zeus, from being destroyed where he stood, figuratively speaking, because he is a sea creature."

"Wait, your son is Bessie? Because if so, then I am so so sorry for naming him that, I swear I didn't know he was your son-"

Loki cut in, "What are you rambling about? Who is this Bessie?"

Percy looked at him, "Uh, a sea-cow, the Ophiotaurus, if I got the name right."

Loki just gave him another weird stare, "Does he look anything like me? No that is not my son."

Percy blinked in relief, "Oh well, great then! So who is it actually?"

Loki rolled his eyes at the demigod's antics, "I believe you fought alongside him before. In the second war that you fought against the primordial."

"Wait you know about the war against Gaia?"

Loki glared at him until Percy said, "Right, sorry, no interrupting." He mimed, zipping his mouth shut, locking it and throwing away the key.

Loki sighed exasperatedly at the other's antics and turned back to the ocean, "My son, the world serpent, whom you requested help from in your war against the primordial of the earth. He aided you in your battle against the primordial of the seas, and when you were called to Olympus after the battle, Zeus declared that he was too powerful to be left alone in the ocean. He was not Greek, nor Roman, nor did he hold any ties to this world that would assure them of his loyalty. But you interceded, and you countered that the serpent had done nothing but help you in your battles even though like Zeus said, he had no ties to them and therefore, no obligations."

Percy nodded, remembering now that gigantic serpent that he had found and requested for help from, sacrificing the armor he was given in order to obtain help. The presence of that serpent had helped turn the tide almost immediately as the Kraken that Pontus had released was well outmatched by the bigger and more agile sea creature. He also remembered the ensuing shouting match he had with the king of the gods, which in hindsight, wasn't the most sensible thing to do, but he had been so drawn out and so tired by the battle that he had just snapped.

Percy looked down, "Look, it was the right thing to do, anyone else would have done it as well-"

"No. They would not have." The god cut in, "They would not have dared to go against the king of the gods like you did. They would not have risked their life for one they did not know." Loki looked away, "It is one thing if the subject in question was humanoid in nature, another if it was in the form of a creature."

Percy began to feel uncomfortable with the emphasis that the god was placing on this event, he didn't feel as though it warranted any debt of some sort, but apparently, to the god, it was serious enough. He decided not to comment further, lest he offend the god., like he was so liable to. Instead, he asked, "What is his name?"

Loki whipped his head around and stared at him in shock, he hadn't heard that question in so many centuries and no one except his mother had ever asked him about his children's names before, and he looked at the boy in front of him in a new light, finally understanding why so many liked him.

"Jormungandr." He said softly, "His name is Jormungandr."

Percy tried the name, "Your-moon-gun?"

Loki huffed indignantly, but there was no real spite in his tone as he corrected Percy, "No, Yor-mun-gand."

Percy tried again, and Loki just chuckled at his botched attempt at pronouncing his son's name. The raven haired boy just smacked the god in the side, causing the god to laugh even more. "It's not funny!" he cried indignantly, "It's like some weird language that I've never heard of before."

Loki smirked, "It is Old Norse. And you do not see me tripping over Greek."

Percy rolled his eyes, "You're a god, you can probably just, I don't know, download the entire language into your brain or something."

Loki smirked, "Not possible, even for gods. Though, our memory is commendable."

Percy groaned, flopping onto the ground, "Commendable he says." He grumbled, "So, do you have other children? Or is Jormungandr the only one?"

Loki tilted his head, the boy never ceased to surprise him, "I have five other. Perhaps I shall tell you about them another time."

Percy's eyes widened in shock, "Woah, five others? You have six children?"

Loki smirked, "Yes I do. Four of them came from me; the other two came from my wife."

Percy stared at him incredulously as the words registered in his brain. Loki just continued smirking at the obviously flustered boy, "Wait, when you say 'came from you', you mean…?"

Loki nodded, "I gave birth to them."

Percy's jaw just dropped to the ground again. He shook his head, "What the Hades?"

Loki just laughed out loud, a clear musical laugh that cut through the night air. Percy jolted, he realized that he had never heard the other truly laugh before. A thought came to him, _how many others have ever heard him really laugh before?_

_(From the second floor, a shadow stood at the window, the sounds of laughter drifting upwards. He clenched his fists as he heard the god laugh so freely, not knowing why he was so upset that he wasn't the one to have caused it.)_

Percy just grinned, "So what happened to your wife?"

The smile dropped off Loki's face, and his eyes gained a melancholic look, "She died." He said simply.

"Oh." Percy replied, bowing his head slightly, guilty for bringing up such memories.

"Hey I have a question."

Loki sighed, "When do you not?"

Percy slugged him in the shoulder, "Shut up you. And anyway, how come your son is on Earth? I mean, Midgard? Shouldn't he be on Asgard?"

Loki hissed, startling his companion, "No," he growled, clenching his fists, "he was never welcomed n that realm. He was cast out by Odin because of his _looks."_

Percy swallowed, it seemed that even until now, he had the uncanny ability to talk about people's most sore subjects. "I'm sorry." He said, truly regretful that he'd brought up such a painful topic for the god.

Loki eyed him for awhile, then deflated, "You did not know, I cannot blame you for asking. Though, you are the first to ask."

"Really?"

Loki nodded, "Only one other ever thought to be concerned about my children, but she was encouraged by everyone else to cease her unnecessary concern for monsters."

Percy sighed and looked away, apparently the 'golden realm' wasn't as golden as people thought, if even racism and bias existed there. "So what did you want to know?" Percy said, changing the subject.

Loki looked at him, really looked, and seeing him lying on the ground, with his unruly hair spread about his head and his green eyes glittering with amusement, Loki was struck by how young he looked.

He said, "What happened? With you I mean. You seem different from the first time I met you. And I do not mean that you are a half-blood and hence seem different."

Percy kept silent, licking his lips almost nervously. He sat up, crossing his legs as he looked down the edge of the cliff. "First of all," he said quietly, "Don't call me half-blood. I'm not one."

Loki's brows furrowed in confusion, "What do you-?"

Percy looked at him, staring straight into his eyes, "I mean it. Don't call me a half-blood, I'm not one. I've never been one."

He smiled self-deprecatingly at the god, who was staring at him uncomprehendngly, a hint of sadness in his stormy green eyes, "I'm a mortal, through and through."


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have nothing to say for the lateness of this, only that I'm so caught up with work and its finals week >.<
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own PJO or Marvel! This is merely for my own pleasure. :)

_Several days before Percy's 19_ _th_ _birthday_

_Percy was at the airport, for the second time in his life, though the first didn't really count in his mind because he'd been rushing like Hades to get his uncle's precious weapon back to him. His eyes kept darting from side to side, his hand fingering Riptide in his pocket, the cool metal of the pen calming him down slightly. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder, whirling around immediately, only to find his mother smiling at him warmly, her bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement and amusement._

" _Mom!" Percy said, sighing, "Please don't scare me like that."_

_Sally laughed, a musical chime in his ears, "Oh Percy, why so tense? I'm the one going on the plane you know. Besides, you should be happy that you'd be left unsupervised for awhile." She said, giving him a knowing look._

_He blushed slightly, "Mom…" he whined, grinning, "There's just so many people here, I'm not used to it. But, you should enjoy your holiday. It's been so long since you got one." He said softly, smiling at her._

_Sally smiled at her son, "Oh Percy, you've grown so much! And don't worry; I'll be back before you know it!"_

_Percy laughed, "No, no, no. Don't worry about me. Really! I can go to camp and all, just enjoy your honeymoon. And Paul." He grinned wolfishly._

_His mother's face turned a beet red, and she smacked him lightly on the arm, the both of them laughing."Percy, could you do me a favor? Run to the sweets shop and grab some candy for me will you? I have to wait here for Paul to come back, and look out for our flight."_

_Percy blinked at the strange request, but shrugged it off, he couldn't read the sign anyway, his dyslexia prevented that, so he might as well go. 'Blue?" he grinned._

" _Blue." His mother smiled at him._

_As he walked away from her, he didn't notice the way the smile dropped of her face or her saddened look as she stood alone in the midst of a crowd._

_Percy paid for the bag of sweets he had chosen and walked back to where he had left his mother. He glanced around, not seeing her. He walked further, looking for his mother, only to bump into Paul, who was queuing with both their luggage, the plane tickets in his hands._

" _Hey Paul." Percy said, causing said man to look up from where he was checking his tickets._

" _Percy!" Paul greeted, "Where'd you go?"_

" _Oh, I went to get some sweets for mom, she said she wanted to have them on the plane in case she got airsick. Where is she by the way?"Percy said, frowning slightly._

_Paul smiled at his step-son's protectiveness of his wife. "Relax Percy; she just went to the washroom, no monsters involved."_

_Percy looked at him and blushed; he didn't know that he was being that obvious. "Oh."_

" _But she's been gone for quite awhile, you should go look for her," Paul said, he pointed to one corner, "She went there I think, I need to check in our luggage, could you go find her? we probably need to go in soon."_

_Percy nodded, depositing the bag of sweets with his step-father, cutting through the throngs of people. He kept an eye out for any unusual behavior amongst the humans though, he didn't know which one could be a monster, and despite his parents' reassurance, he was still a son of the big three, and his scent was extremely strong, monsters were bound to be attracted. He just didn't want to ruin the start of his mum and Paul's well deserved break._

_He made it to the washroom without any incident, and he paused, unsure of how to find his mother. He walked forward still, rounding the corner to get to the washroom that was located far inside. He was about to call out for his mother when he heard her muffled voice. Tensing, he reached into his pocket and gripped Riptide, ready to uncap it in an instant if his mother was in danger. He manipulated the Mist so that people wouldn't get suspicious of him as he crept towards the sound of her voice._

_He reached a door that was left slightly ajar, and was prepared to barge in to demand for his mother when he heard-_

" _-are you going to tell him?"_

_He blinked, confused, who was his mother talking to? And who was she talking about? He crept even closer, practically plastering his ears to the door, listening intently._

" _Never, preferably."_

_He reeled back in shock, because that was his father's voice that he recognized. He wondered if his mother had just wanted to talk to Poseidon before she left._ But that doesn't make sense _, he thought,_ she could always IM him from Europe, it wasn't like Iris-Messaging had overseas charges.

" _What?" came his mother's aghast voice, "You cannot keep this from him forever Poseidon!"_

" _I can and I will Sally. He cannot know about this, it would break him."_

" _This is why you should tell him! Do you think he'd rather be lied to for the rest of his life? He's bound to learn about it one way or another would you rather he learns from someone else other than his parents?"_

_Percy's eyes widened in shock, that was definitely him they were talking about, but why?_

" _Can you guarantee that he will accept it if he finds out Sally? Can you guarantee that everything will be the same?"_

" _Of course not. Nothing will be the same you know that!" she paused for a few moments; Percy leaned in, hardly daring to breathe at all. "I have raised Percy since he was six, and I love him like he was my own child, you know that. I know him; he would rather hear it from us than from someone else."_

_Percy's breath caught in his throat, backing away until he hit the wall behind him. He slid down the wall, the remaining conversation drifting over his head. There was no way, no possible way that that could be true._

_He leaned against the wall in shock, wanting to collapse right there and then with the revelation he was just given, but he couldn't do that. No, he couldn't be selfish, he couldn't let his knowledge get in the way of his mother's happiness._

Only _, a voice whispered to him,_ she isn't really your mother is she?

_He felt the burning sensation behind his eyes and he forced them back, not wanting to cry in front of his mother. He walked until he was a distance away then, taking a few deep breaths to steady his voice; he called out for his mother._

_She answered him several calls later, coming around the corner, smiling at him as though she hadn't just had a conversation about him with his father. His heart clenched, but his face did not waver, he forced a smile on his face_ -when did he get so good at that? - _"Come on, Paul's waiting for you."_

_She smiled back at him, and they both walked towards the man waiting for them, the announcement of their flight echoing overhead. He tilted his head when Paul met them halfway, carrying their handheld luggage. "Well, I suppose this is where I say bon voyage?"He teased, smiling even though it hurt him._

_Sally smiled at her son, unaware of the turmoil that she had unknowingly caused, "We'll see you soon enough Percy. Try not to mess the house up too much. There's money in your room if you need it, you can IM me as well, preferably not at night though, you should ask Annabeth about the time difference. Sleep early; don't stress yourself too much-"_

" _Sally!" "Mom!"_

_Sally laughed, both her boys giving her an exasperated look, "Alright alright, I get it. No nagging. But really Percy, be careful alright?"_

" _I will mom; you and Paul just focus on enjoying your honeymoon. Make god use of Uncle H's gift."_

" _We will Perce, don't worry, I'll take good care of your mom." Paul said, grinning at his step-son._

_Percy grinned back, giving him a one arm hug. He turned to his mom and hugged her tightly, letting her go. "Have fun mom, I'll miss you, but enjoy yourself."_

_Sally nodded. The couple walked towards the departure hall, turning back one last time to wave at him before disappearing from sight. He let the smile drop of his face, pain shining in his ocean green eyes. Percy turned and left the airport, his hands gripping the wheel of the Prius tightly._

_He drove home on autopilot, his mind curiously blank. When he reached, he just turned off the engine and sat in the car, dazedly staring blankly ahead. He robotically got out of the car, walking down the street instead of heading up, he didn't think he could handle being cooped up in his room with his thoughts now._

_He drew his jacket around him; slipping his hands into his pockets, head bent low as he slipped from block to block. He didn't know where he was walking to, but he just kept placing one foot in front of the next. He turned a random corner, and looked up, realizing that he had stepped into an alley with a dead end. Sighing inwardly, he took one step back, intending to get out of the alley, when he sensed a presence blocking the alley's entrance._

_He kept his head bowed, hands still in his pocket even as he stood still, breathing lightly. He heard the presence behind him shift, and a low voice pitched, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A little meal that got itself cornered."_

" _Hee! Cornered! Cornered! I'm hungry, hungry!" another high pitched whine cut in._

" _Hah. Little demigod, should have known better than to enter alleyways." A third voice piped up._

_Throughout this, Percy didn't react; he just stood there, his head bowed in a seemingly resigned position._

" _Heh? Did the meal give up already?"_

_Covered by the shadows, Percy smirked, his oceanic eyes flashing. He turned around, revealing his face to the monsters that had covered the alley's entrance. The monsters all flinched back when they recognized him, but then the lead monster, the Cyclops, just grinned, his one eye narrowing in triumph, "Look who we got boys! We'll be famous after we take your head Perseus Jackson."_

" _Famous! Hee!" the crazed Empousa giggled, her head lolling to one side. Behind them were a few other monsters, hellhounds, telekhines, and Cyclops. Above him were several harpies._

_Percy just stared at the assorted group before him with barely veiled amusement. He just let a grin form on his face, "Bring it on demons," he hissed, "I'm in the mood for some blood."_

_The monsters snarled and leapt at him. He just grinned, Riptide flashing in the darkened alleyway._

* * *

_Several months later, hours before the attack on New York_

_Percy unlocked the door, calling out his presence as he entered, fumbling with the lock for a moment as he juggled his bag, his new sword and his jacket. He felt like a complete retard for bringing his new sword out, especially since it couldn't collapse into a convenient form like Riptide, but the mission involved mortals apparently. He still hated killing, gods forbid if he ever became used to it, but even he couldn't stand the girl's father when he went on an errand for Nemesis. The man reminded him sorely of Smelly Gabe, and he had been more than pleased to eradicate the man, since he was deprived of that opportunity when his mom made Smelly Gabe into a stone sculpture._

_He locked the door finally, and walked to the living room, stopping short when he saw his father on the couch. He stared at his parents, his mom, who was averting her gaze from him, and his father, who had a solemn gaze on his face. Percy felt his heart clench in fear, he had a rough idea as to why his father was here, but he didn't want to talk about it, he'd managed to accept that he maybe was adopted by his mom, but he'd already accepted that she loved him no less._

" _Right," he began, "I'm just uh, going to go place my stuff in the room… if you guys uh, wanna talk then just continue-"_

" _Sit, Percy." His father said._

" _Uh," he stammered, "Can I put my stuff in the room first-"_

" _Please Percy, sit down." His mother said, turning tear filled eyes to him._

_He felt his heart drop, and he sat down gingerly, shrugging off the bag, placing the sword leaning against the side of the chair he sat on._

" _So…?"_

_Poseidon sighed, and lifted his eyes to the boy opposite him, practically his mirror image without all the wrinkles."Percy, we have something to tell you."_

_Percy gave him a weird look, not betraying the way his heart was hammering in his chest._

" _Percy," Sally said, "Please, know that we have and always will love you."_

_Percy faked a laugh, which sounded nearly hysterical to him, "What? You sound like someone is going to die or something."_

" _Percy," Poseidon said his eyes stern but gentle, "Percy, I never wanted you to know, but your mother convinced me that it was better for you to learn of it from us than from someone else's mouth."_

_He took a deep breath, but Percy interrupted him, "I know." He said, his eyes dark. "I know what you're going to say." He turned to his mother, "I'm not your real son am I?"_

_Both adults were shocked, "How?" Sally whispered._

_Percy smiled sadly, looking at his mum, "I heard you, well, overheard you. At the airport. I overheard your conversation, and I uh, I heard what you said, about looking after me since I was six. And I pieced it together from there." He said softly, looking down. "Am I right?"_

_He missed the sad looks that his parents shared above his head, "Well," he continued, "I'm fine with it, really, I am." He smiled, "Took me some time, but I'm fine with it. Really."_

" _Percy," Poseidon said, "Really dad, I'm fine." Percy cut in._

" _No," Poseidon continued, "That is not all Percy."_

_Percy blinked, confused, "What do you mean?"_

_Poseidon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I need to tell you the whole story Percy. Don't interrupt me. Please."_

_Percy frowned, still confused, but nodded anyway._

_Poseidon clasped his hands together. "You know how Zeus' daughter got turned into a tree when she was twelve I believe?" he said, waiting for Percy's nod before continuing, "At that time, when the news of Zeus' daughter first came up, we all assumed that she was the child of the prophecy. We still didn't know about the existence of Hades' children in the Lotus Casino. We all assumed that she, along with the daughter of Athena and the son of Hermes, would make it safely to Camp Half-Blood. What we did not account for was the sheer number of monsters that Hades sent after her, nor the extent of the anger that my brother held against her existence."_

_Percy nodded, still confused at why he was being told thing she had already known, but willing to play along for now._

_He wished he hadn't._

_Poseidon's voice grew more somber, "As much as we gods know about the future, even we are not certain of the outcomes. When Thalia was turned into a tree, we did not know what to do. There were no other children of the eldest gods, and the prophecy clearly stated that one was to be the prophecy child." Poseidon closed his eyes and took another deep breath, "There was no guarantee that Thalia would have been revived like she was during your second year at camp and become the child of the prophecy. If it was any other prophecy, Zeus would have gladly allowed the situation to remain, but the last line, 'Olympus to preserve or raze' implied that there was a great battle on the horizon, and Zeus, paranoid as he is," he ignored the thunder booming outside, "wanted to make sure that Olympus would not be destroyed. Even if it meant entrusting it to a demigod."_

" _There were only three of us, Hades, Zeus and I. Only our children could become the child of the prophecy. Athena analyzed the fatal flaws that our children generally shared, and despite protests from my brother, we all agreed that the child could not be one from Hades or Zeus. Not Hades because his children generally held grudges and he had no particular loyalty to Olympus. Not Zeus because his children craved power, which would have been a large temptation for them, as with what Thalia went through with the Ophiotaurus."_

" _That left only me. As you are well aware, my children's fatal flaws are usually loyalty. Which is both a strength and a flaw." Percy nodded, remembering how Athena had told him that his fatal flaw would let him sacrifice the world for the one he loved._

" _And therein lay the problem Percy." Poseidon said softly, "We needed, and we agreed, that a child of Poseidon should be the child of the prophecy, but there was one problem." He looked straight into Percy's eyes, "Sally was sterile."_

_Percy felt his heart stop. "What?" he whispered._

" _I couldn't conceive Percy." Sally took over, "We tried, gods forbid, we tried, but I had a checkup, and it was confirmed by Apollo as well, I couldn't conceive. It was impossible for me to do so."_

_He looked between his parents-not really his parents now were they?- and asked, "What then?"_

_Poseidon picked up the story, he swallowed, gripping his hands together, "At that time, I had the option of running to another woman, and having a child with her. But," he looked at Percy, who was still sitting in shock, "I did not want to be unfaithful to Sally, even though she gave me permission. We could not go for the surrogate mother option because Sally could not produce any ovum."_

" _Sally was a part-time volunteer in an orphanage at that time, and she remembered a child, about six years of age who seemed bright and cheerful, despite having been abandoned by his parents when he was born and brought to the orphanage by an old lady with a good heart. No one knew why he was never adopted, but Sally, she remembered him, and she was his main care-taker. She told me about the child, not out of any suggestions of any sort, but because she loved him, loved his brightness, and so I had an idea. I brought it to the council, and they approved, and so I told Sally about the plan. She disapproved at first of course, fighting fiercely for the rights of the child that she took care of. But eventually, she gave in after Athena presented the facts and the logical reasoning behind the plan. "_

_He took a deep breath, and with the next few words, shattered Percy's world completely._

" _She adopted the child officially, and we brought him to Olympus. The first time a mortal was allowed on the land of the gods. We blessed the child, and I gave him a blessing that would raise him to the standards of one of my demigod child. Of course, a mortal body would not have been able to contain that much power, which led to Hecate casting the spell that would allow the child to hold the power within him, but he could not receive any other blessings anymore, lest he burn out. We had Mnemosyne remove any memories the child had of the first six years, and replace them. Then," he paused, closing his eyes, "We named the child Perseus."_

_Percy's eyes widened as his breath caught in his throat. He swallowed, staring at his father-no, not his father anymore- his mind blank. "I-I'm not, I'm mortal?" he whispered._

" _That cannot be. I'm not, you're lying. You are lying to me. This is some joke right? How did Hermes and Apollo get you to join their prank?"_

" _This is no joke Percy." His mother pleaded._

" _No. NO!" he shouted, standing up, "There is no way, no fucking way that I am not either of your sons. No way." He laughed hysterically, "No, I'm not-I won't accept this, this isn't true. Tell me it isn't true!" he screamed, feeling tears gather behind his eyes. He stumbled backwards, seeing the pained look on the god's face._

_He felt the world drop out from beneath him, "No," he repeated over and over again, "It's not true. Please, tell me it isn't true. I don't - why?"_

" _Percy?"_

" _Why did you use me like this?"_

" _Percy, we didn't-"_

" _DON'T LIE TO ME!" Percy roared, "You said so yourself, you needed a child to be the one in the prophecy. You didn't even know what the prophecy meant and you were ready to sacrifice me to save yourself. You were ready to let me die for the sake of preserving Olympus."_

" _Percy, the line didn't mean death-"_

" _But you didn't know that did you? You didn't know it referred to Luke! You didn't know that it meant that I wouldn't die. And you used me. You fucking used me. Like a tool, which is actually what we are, isn't it? Demigods, we are all just tools for the gods to use and essentially disposable."_

" _Percy no-"_

" _Can you tell me otherwise?" Percy demanded, "Can you look me straight in the eye and tell me that you gods don't use us?" Poseidon just remained silent, guilt etched on his face, "That's what I thought, you can't. Because it's true. You only see us as tools to be use. You don't see us as children to be loved. You only see us as mistakes." He spat, watching as his so-called father flinched at having his words used against him*._

" _Is that why you never told me before? Because you were afraid that if I found out I'd run straight into Kronos' arms?"_

" _Percy please-" Poseidon tried, but Percy wasn't listening anymore. He had grown up thinking he was a freak, then found out that he wasn't, that he was a part of a world where such things were normal, only to be given the revelation that he wasn't even a part of that world in the first place._

" _No. I have suffered, killed, been tortured and seen my friends die because of you gods. Because you cannot help yourself. I don't care that I'm essentially a mortal. Because I know even mortals are strong sometimes. I'm upset because you used me. Because you picked me for the sole purpose of having me fulfill a role."_

_He breathed heavily, blinking away his tears, "What would happen to me after I outlived my usefulness then? Would you have killed me? Would Zeus send someone to dispose of me? Like what you would do to a tool that was no longer useful?"_

_The god just kept silent, the lack of words speaking louder than anything he could have said. Percy nodded, and dashed out of the house, slamming the door behind him._

_Sally let her tears pour down her face while Poseidon placed his head in his hands._

* * *

_Percy ran to the nearest alley and blew hard on the stygian ice whistle Nico gave him, the whistle crumbling in his hands after he blew it. He waited, tears threatening to escape as he waited for his beloved hellhound. The moment she burst forth from the shadows, he jumped on her back, and as if sensing his distress, she leapt straight into another shadow, taking the both of them to Long Island, the only monster to ever be allowed in camp._

_Percy sat down at the beach of Camp Half-Blood, watching the waves slowly crash against the shore, the water splashing against his leg like a soft apology for the lies he lived through. As much as he didn't want to be near anything related to Poseidon, he felt that the water still calmed him down the most. And was that a product of their meddling? Or did he naturally love the water? He didn't have any answers for his questions; he didn't even know who he was supposed to be now._

_His whole life, he had lived as if he was a demigod, even when he hadn't known he was one. His whole life was revolved around the gods, the demigods, camp and monsters. Now that he wasn't a part of this world, what more did he have? What could he do now? His life was a lie, how did you continue moving forward when everything you knew was a lie?_

_He absently played with the sand beneath him, wondering if his swordsmanship capabilities were a by-product of someone's blessing or if he truly had a natural gift for wielding a sword. He didn't know how to feel, he felt lost and drifting, helpless, like he did on Calypso's island. He closed his eyes and hissed out a breath, how did everything always go so wrong for him?_

_Living in the mortal world, he never fit in, he was abnormal. And just when he thought he'd finally found a place he could be himself, he wasn't actually a part of it._

_Soft footsteps padded behind him, and slender arms wound around his neck. "Try not to think so hard seaweed brain, you might hurt yourself." Came the teasing voice._

_A small smile made its way to his face as he turned slightly to face her, "Come on wise girl, you're always asking me to think more."_

_She laughed lightly, plopping down on the sand beside him, winding her fingers through his. "I do, when you're on the battlefield, but I'm afraid that if you keep thinking that hard, whatever is left of your brain might spontaneously combust." She teased, poking him in the forehead. She leaned back, her face becoming concerned and serious, "But really Percy, what's wrong?"_

" _Nothing. Just, some shocking things that's all."_

" _It's not nothing if you're acting like this." She said quietly._

_He remained silent, and Annabeth didn't press him, she knew him well enough that he would speak when he wanted to. He licked his lips lightly, feeling undeniably nervous, if he told her, would her opinion of him change? Would she still concede to a relationship with a faux-demigod?_

_He swallowed, looking out at the ocean, "My father, and my mom, they told me some stuff today, after I got back from my mission."_

_She squeezed his hand encouragingly, not saying anything. His voice cracked, "They said that I didn't belong to them. That I'm not a son of Poseidon." He blinked back tears, "They said that I was from an orphanage, I wasn't- I wasn't their kid." He whispered, gripping her hand tightly._

" _I don't understand, they said that my mom was sterile, and they needed a child of the big three to be the one in the prophecy because Thalia had been turned into a tree at that time. I don't get it, so what, I was just something for them to use as they liked?"_

" _Percy," Annabeth said hesitantly, "The gods have reasons for why they did what they did, I'm sure that it doesn't change anything-"_

" _It changes everything!" he yelled, "Because now I have no idea how much is a part of their meddling and how much of it is really me. I don't even know if I like water because they wanted me to be a son of Poseidon or because I liked water originally. I don't even know who I'm supposed to be now, and I thought I was over that when I first found out that I was a demigod!"_

" _Percy, your father loves you, I'm sure of it, as does your mother-"_

" _I know that," he said brokenly, looking at his callous-filled hands, each scar a mark of his battle for the gods and for the world he was never a part of, ""I know that they love me, I know that. But I also know that there is a part of my father, no matter how small, that sees me only as a tool to be used."_

_He clenched his hands into fists, looking at his girlfriend and best friend, "What happens when I'm no longer useful?"_

_Annabeth just stared sadly at him, the hero who had given so much hope to his allies and instilled fear into his enemies, the boy who jumped into Tartarus with her because he didn't want her to be alone, the boy who carried the sky in order to save her, the boy she took a knife for without knowing why. "Percy," she whispered, her heart clenching with guilt._

_He just breathed and looked away from her, facing the ocean again. He froze, a nagging sense in the back of his mind that told him that something was wrong. He faced the ocean, staring blankly ahead, his mind racing, what was wrong? There weren't any monsters, he knew that, Mrs. O'Leary made sure of that, no nymphs or naiads or sea creatures then what was wrong? There was only two people on the beach, why did he feel that something was off? No one else, only him and Annabeth-_

_Annabeth._

_He replayed the practically one-sided conversation in his head. His eyes widened,_ no, _he thought_ , that cannot be possible, but _-_

She hadn't shown any surprise when he said that he wasn't a demigod _._

_His breath caught in his throat, and he felt like screaming. Instead-_

" _You knew, didn't you?" he whispered._

_He felt more than saw her jerk back in surprise. Her body language was more than enough as an answer for him._

" _Percy," she said, her gray eyes wide, "Percy listen, I tried, to tell them, but it didn't work-"_

" _You mean your mother convinced you with her logic." He said flatly, still not looking at her._

_She winced, bowing her head slightly. "Percy," she whispered._

" _How long?"_

" _What?"_

" _How long have you known about it?" he repeated, his dark eyes piercing through her._

_She bit her lip, averting her eyes, "When you were found outside camp's borders." She took a deep breath, "When the minotaur killed your mother the first time."_

_He lips pressed into a thin line, "You knew, since before I came to camp. You knew who I was; you knew that I wasn't a demigod."_

_She nodded, biting her lips, "And all this time, seven years, and you never told me. You lied to my face day in and day out." He said softly._

" _Percy please, I didn't agree with it, I felt that it was immoral-"_

" _Until the gods convinced you." He interrupted._

_She looked away, "It was logical." She whispered, "At that time, it was a logical decision. We couldn't chance that the prophecy would not come true because there was no child of the Big Three. It clearly said that this demigod would save or destroy Olympus. If there was no demigod, then there wouldn't even be a chance of saving Olympus. Which is why when Thalia was purged from the tree I was shocked. And why I didn't know what to do when Nico was claimed as the son of Hades."_

_Percy nodded, feeling the sting of utter betrayal. "You couldn't chance it. So when two more children of the Big Three appeared you panicked because it was only supposed to be me."_

" _Percy," she pleaded, her normally proud gray eyes now pleading, "Percy please, listen I didn't-"_

" _What, now you're denying it?" he said harshly._

_She flinched, "Percy, listen to me, I'm not denying anything, and I am truly sorry, but please, we couldn't take the chance of telling you at first-"_

" _Because then you wouldn't know if I'd go straight to Luke."_

_She closed her eyes, her heart clenching as it did whenever she heard the name of the sandy-haired boy._

" _Percy…"_

_He didn't answer, just continued staring out into the sea. "I agreed with Luke you know." He said softly, ignoring Annabeth's sharp intake of breath. "I agreed with him about the gods. You have no idea how close it came for me to leave with him."_

_He looked at her, seeing her wide eyes, "It was only because I had a taste of Kronos' power and personality that I didn't want to go. And later on it was because of you, because of all our friends, and because of my mother. Because I knew that while the gods weren't the best rulers, they were the lesser evil between them and the titans."_

" _It's the whole reason why I agreed to Luke's last request. Because I knew where he was coming from. I was in the Hermes cabin for all of a few days, and being cramped in there? With hardly any space for yourself? I couldn't blame the kids for joining the titans. Not when I felt like they did, except I was lucky enough to be the so-called son of Poseidon. So I got claimed. But the rest? They weren't as lucky. They were forgotten and abandoned."_

_Annabeth looked away, she knew what he was talking about, she had been claimed nearly the second she stepped past the borders, so she had never needed to bother with the cramped cabin, and the Athena cabin was always pristine and neat, so they each had their own personal space. She never stopped once to consider the feelings of those who were stuck in the Hermes cabin, despite not being Hermes children. Those who were not children of the Olympians._

" _Percy, I'm sorry."_

" _Sorry doesn't cut it Annabeth." He said tiredly._

" _Percy!"_

_He whipped around, startled when his name was shouted, a hand reaching for Riptide. "Nico? What's up?"_

_The son of Hades skidded to a stop in front of the couple, panting heavily, looking at him weirdly, "Why do you look like-? Nevermind, I just came from New York, its under attack!"_

_Percy felt his heart drop-again- and grabbed Nico, "What's going on? Monsters? Or what?"_

_Nico shook his head, "No, worse, aliens." He said seriously._

_If those words had come out from anyone else's mouth, Percy would have brushed them off, but Nico wasn't one to joke around, not when the situation was serious._

_Percy whistled once for Mrs. O'Leary, "Are the mortals doing anything?"_

" _Yeah, some group of guys, five or six? I'm not sure, they're keeping the aliens within several blocks from the Empire State Building. Percy paused, "That's not possible."_

_Nico shrugged, "Maybe the gods are doing something, but either way, they're not getting further than that."_

_Percy nodded, and walked to Mrs. O'Leary, who wagged her tail, eager to jump into battle. "Wait!" Annabeth called out, "You can't just leave like that, and we have to tell Chiron first, besides, its mortals' affair!"_

_He turned to face Annabeth, "You tell Chiron, I have to go, my mom and Paul are in there."_

_He turned to Nico, who nodded and clambered up on Mrs. O'Leary's back. Percy followed suit, and with a loud bark, she dashed forward into a shadow. Back in Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth ran for the Big House._

* * *

_The shadows in an alleyway grew darker and darker, until it seemed to solidify, spitting out a humongous hound and two teenagers. The older and taller one slid off first, a pen in his hand. The other slid followed suit, twisting his ring._

_Percy uncapped Riptide, the pen elongating into a shimmering bronze sword, while Nico twisted the skull ring on his finger, a shadow forming over his hand as a Stygian sword emerged from it._

" _Split up?" the darker boy said, Percy nodded, and watched as his cousin ran into a shadow._

_He looked up and saw the sky filled with aliens on some flying contraption, zooming back and forth, firing into anything and everything they saw. He observed them from the safety of the alley for a moment, frowning when he could pick up no pattern of attack. They seemed to be just randomly firing into anything, not aiming at the mortals' particular, just seemingly bent on causing as much destruction as possible._

_He scowled, disappearing into mist and appearing almost instantly in his apartment. He blinked in shock, the living room was destroyed, there was a huge hole in the far wall where the building's side had been blown wide open. He looked around, searching for any clue about his mom's whereabouts, but finding none, surmised that she must have escaped already. He moved to the gaping hole, only to duck down instinctively as a shot exploded against the back wall where his head had been a second ago. He braced himself, sword out, as the alien slammed into him, sending the both of them crashing to the floor._

_Percy rolled and pushed the creature off him, slashing at it. The creature flinched back, only to find that it was unharmed. He swore furiously, apparently celestial bronze didn't work on things other than monsters, gods and titans. He threw Riptide to the side, knowing that it would return to his pocket eventually, and threw himself backwards, dodging another blast from the alien's weapon. He narrowed his eyes as the creature chattered noisily, summoning water from the kitchen where the sink had been broken._

_He formed several icicles and threw them straight at the creature, which was taken by surprised and got impaled by several. Taking advantage of its distraction, he dove for the silver sword that had been thrown to the corner of the room and twisted around, parrying the creature's weapon. He stared into voided eyes and snarled, pushing the creature backwards. He twisted and avoided the blast, slashing at the creature's belly, causing it to screech in pain. He twisted the sword upwards and cut off the creature's arm._

_He kicked it in the chest, sending it flying backwards. He walked over to where it lay and drove his sword through its chest, killing it instantly._

_He glared at the body and yanked his sword out, the silver dripping with black liquid. Percy walked towards the hole and dropped outside, hitting the ground running, searching desperately for his mother._

_On the other side of New York, Nico di Angelo was sifting through the crowd of people who were running in the opposite direction. None of them bothered about the kid in their midst heading to where the battle was taking place. He kept his sword down, aware that his Stygian iron sword was unlike Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold, it could still affect mortals, since it drew life essence from the creature the blade strikes._

_He ran quickly through the streets, keeping an eye out for Percy's mom and step-father. He like the both of them, they treated him like a normal kid, instead of shunning him because of his heritage. He didn't think that they would be here though, considering how their apartment was on the opposite side. It wouldn't be logical for them to run here._

_Nevertheless, he drifted from street to street, looking up occasionally to see a man in red and gold armor zooming past him, a horde of aliens chasing after him. He raised an eyebrow at the flashiness of the man but shook his head; he was one of the few who were actively fighting back._

_Nico stumbled across a horde of aliens that were herding the mortals, who were screaming their heads off. He scowled, he couldn't summon his army of the dead because then the mortals might see, but he didn't have a long range power like Percy or Thalia. He sighed, stepping out of the shadows, revealing himself to the aliens._

_He heard the mortals' alarmed shouts for him to run away and smiled grimly, raising his sword in a silent challenge. The aliens hesitated, probably sensing the strong aura of death rolling off him, but they surged forward anyway. He grinned darkly and ducked, swiping at the side of one of the aliens, reversing his blade and slamming it into the gut of another._

_He twisted and pulled the sword out, his dark eyes flashing as several shadows gripped the aliens and dragged them down. He pointed his sword to the ground, point first, summoning shadows, exerting his power as he felt the shadows suck away their life. They crumbled to the ground like puppets with their strings cut._

_When he was done, there were only a few remaining aliens, and they all backed away warily. The mortals were all silent. He didn't know what they saw through the Mist, but he was willing to bet that it wasn't pretty. He grinned and raised a finger, beckoning the other aliens. They hesitated, the fired simultaneously at him. He just stomped his feet and a wall of darkness raised before him, absorbing the blasts. He leapt forward, through the wall, and took off the head of the first one, rolling and severing the tendons in the alien's legs. He stabbed one through the chest, killing it, and ducked, slitting throat of the alien that had come up behind him._

_He breathed heavily, adrenaline running through his veins. He looked t the group of mortals, and snapped his fingers, manipulating the Mist on them. He looked up, seeing the portal that had begun to let in gigantic creatures-were those whales?- into New York. He squinted, and saw the vague outline of a mother ship. He frowned,_ well then, time to put the spell into practice _, he thought, smirking. He vanished into a shadow and reappeared somewhere on the roof of a building, roughly in the centre of the city. He drew the shadows around himself and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes for concentration as he started muttering under his breath._

* * *

_Percy ran down the streets, pushing past people and aliens alike. Well, he killed the aliens, but that wasn't the point. He ran down street after street, screaming for his mother and Paul, ignoring the pitiful glances he drew from people who heard him and policemen who tried to stop him. He cut down the aliens that were attracted to the sound of his voice, adrenaline pumping through him as he ran._

_He skidded around the corner, eyes growing wide as he saw Paul at the other end, dirtied and with blood dripping down the side of his head, trying to shift the debris off of one of his mother's legs, who remained lying prone on the ground, trying frantically to push the debris off her leg. He stepped forward, intent on sprinting over to help them, but Fate had other plans._

_Time slowed down, and Percy stepped one step forward, just as one of the gigantic flying creatures burst through the building that had trapped his mother, the head smashing through the building, creating more debris that buried his mother. Paul was sent flying backwards by the force of the creature's head, straight into another building, the sickening crack echoing in Percy's ears even from that distance. His eyes widened in horror, the creature sliding to stop in the middle of the street, the building his mother was beside now just a pile of rubble._

_He froze, unable to move as his stepfather lay opposite the street, his crumpled form unmoving and his mother somewhere underneath all the rubble. He couldn't hear anything above the rush of wind n his ear, didn't notice as a missile was redirected to the portal. Didn't see the way the aliens converged on him, he who was standing in the middle of the road, an easy target for everything. He didn't notice how he caused the water to explode from the fire hydrants, how he stabbed the aliens with them. He didn't notice as his powers activated on its own accord, like the whirlwind he created when he fought against Hyperion. He didn't notice how the aliens that weren't hit all suddenly dropped dead. Didn't realize how unnatural it was._

_All he saw was the bodies of the two people who loved him the most. "Paul-Mom." He choked, eyes darting between them. He ran towards Paul, knowing that there was a slim chance a demigod could have survived such a hit, let alone a mortal, but he still choked back tears as he felt Paul's cold skin. He wondered how his body could have become so cold so quickly, but he forced himself to get up and look for his mother._

There was still a chance that she's alive, she wasn't flung away, maybe the debris just missed her, and maybe she's trapped underneath the building, _the thoughts were running through his head as he knelt and began digging away at the rubble, his hands becoming scratched and bruised as he kept digging. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it away, continue digging even though his vision was blurred._

_He gritted his teeth and pulled away debris after debris, yanking his arm away from whoever it was that kept grabbing him._

" _-let go, Kid, stop, you're hurting yourself. Kid!"_

" _No," he gasped, "No, my mom, she's under here, she's still alive, I know, please, I have to find her-"_

_He didn't see the sad looks that the group of mortals-known later on as the avengers- exchanged with each other. The man in a red and gold armor placed a metal hand on his shoulder, "Look kid, we'll look instead alright? You look like shit."_

_Percy relented, a tiny part of his mind knowing that his mother was gone, for real this time, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. He watched vacantly, half kneeling and half sitting on the ground, supported by the only female of the group, as the three males lifted the rubble methodically. An inhuman scream ripped from his throat when they moved the final piece, revealing the broken body of a woman, her brown hair splayed out around her head, matted with blood and dust, her normally bright blue eyes dull and empty._

_Percy screamed and screamed, struggling against Clint's tight hold of him. The assassin had realized before the others that the woman was already dead, and reacted faster than them, holding the boy tightly._

_The avengers all looked at each other, their faces solemn. They had saved the day, but it was such things that made them feel as though all their efforts were for naught. Clint gritted his teeth, feeling his anger at the god who brought all these chaos and mayhem to their doorstep intensify. His own personal grudge aside, children should not have had to lose their mothers in such a way. And it was obvious to both assassins that the boy had watched as the building buried his mother alive._

_From the shadows, Nico watched sadly as Percy fell to his knees, looking more defeated than he had ever seen him. He kept his sword, and slowly walked forward, gaining the attention of the group of mortals that were standing around him. "Percy…" he whispered, not daring to raise his voice._

_His cousin heard him though, and he turned broken green eyes to him, still on his knees. Nico ran to his cousin's side, "Shit, Perce, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He swallowed, slightly uncomfortable; he didn't know how to comfort. He remembered how he felt when Bianca died, even though he wasn't present to witness her death, and he regretted ever wishing for Percy to experience that. For once, the other boy allowed himself to be comforted instead of comforting._

" _It's alright Perce. You know that, she's in a better place."_ She's in Elysium now.

" _It doesn't make it any better; she and Paul had such a life ahead of them."_ She didn't deserve to die now, she had finally settled down with a mortal and a completely normal life.

" _I'm sorry."_ I know how you feel.

_Percy shook his head, and Nico hesitantly wrapped his arms around his cousin, hugging him tightly. The other boy didn't dare to look at the opposite side of the road; he didn't want to see Paul's unmoving body along with his mother's._

_The avengers bowed their heads and backed away slowly, leaving the two teenagers in the middle of the street, surrounded by destruction and the bodies of the two people that meant the world to them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *In PJO and the Lightning Thief, when Percy went up to Olympus and Poseidon talked to him, Poseidon called him a mistake, even though what he was trying to say was that heroes had horrible lives, and not that Percy was unwanted.
> 
> Right, Percy is six because Thalia was twelve when she became a tree, Annabeth was seven. Since Annabeth and Percy are the same age, Annabeth slightly older cause her birthday is before Percy's, I made Percy six because his birthday was in August. So he would grow up and when he was twelve, be brought to Camp like in canon. Hope that made sense!
> 
> So... How was it? I tried to make this as angsty as possible, and as realistic as possible. While I am neutral on the percabeth ship, meaning I don't actively ship it but I don't flame it either, I am NOT trying to write Annabeth-hate. I hope I made the entire situation as realistic as possible for Percy to stop wanting to contact her. I respect Annabeth's character, and I tried to keep her in character for this story.
> 
> Nevertheless, did you guys find that it was angsty enough? Did I manage to get the emotions done perfectly? Please let me know and leave a review so I may continue to improve my writing to make it a better story for you! :)
> 
> No cliffies this time~ And I included Nico-action! How awesome was that? I love writing about Nico, his power is seriously awesome.


	20. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in a day~
> 
> Disclaimer: None of this save the plot belongs to me, all characters belong to their rightful owners. :)

Silence reigned in the dark night as Percy finished his story. He looked away, not wanting to see the god give him a pitiful look. He scowled inwardly, he hadn't meant to tell the other so much, but one thing had led to another and he found himself telling the whole thing to a person who was practically a total stranger - never mind the fact that he felt a strange connection to him. He swallowed, he hadn't told anyone about what happened to make him run like hell after that battle, not even Nico or Thalia, and they were his closest friends after her-after Annabeth. In fact, he hadn't even contacted anyone since he left three years ago, just up and left after telling the gods and Chiron via a written note that he was leaving and that he wasn't planning on coming back. The sorrowful look in the centaur's eyes told him that his mentor knew exactly why he was leaving - and it wasn't because of his parents either. Try as he might, Percy couldn't summon the energy to be angry at his mentor, the man who had taught him so much and had accepted him when everyone had turned him out. He couldn't even retain his anger at Annabeth either, just completely drained of energy. He had broken it off with her despite her numerous apologies. What she had done was on a different level from his parents, it created a rift between them, and Percy didn't know if it was repairable or not. Guiltily, he thought of Nico and Thalia, his cousins who had supported him through so much, and how he never bothered to contact them. Granted, Nico knew what he was up to, having been privy to the information that Percy was going to leave; just that he didn't know the reason why, but he probably thought that it was something to do with his parents.

Percy winced when he thought of Thalia, if he ever met her again… He would be in for a world of pain. _Nah,_ he thought amusedly, _I'd be getting a one-way ticket to Hades._

Loki on the other hand was stunned into silence. This boy had done what numerous others had tried and failed- he had shocked the Wordsmith into silence. He did not know what to think, he had not felt guilty for leading the invasion straight into the heart of New York, because given the circumstances, it was the best option he had and it had been his ultimate plan. Yet, he looked at the boy beside him, a child in his eyes, one forced to grow up in a world that he did not belong to, he felt a foreign emotion settling in his chest. Loki looked down, his own memories of finding out about his adoption flashing through his head. He remembered how betrayed he had felt when Odin told him that he took him because he wanted to use him to unite both their realms, how he had screamed and shouted at the man who called himself father of Loki and his ensuing madness. Loki felt almost ashamed when he thought of the way he had acted in comparison to the boy sitting beside him. Most of all, he was completely and utterly shocked.

Never in a million years did he think that the two time savior of this realm shared his pain.

Loki pressed his lips together, "What happened after?"

Percy turned back to him, shocked at the vague empathy on his face. "I went straight to Olympus." He smirked, "Demanded a council meeting and told them that I wanted out."

Loki raised an eyebrow at his audacious behavior, to which Percy only continued smirking, he silently thanked the god for changing the subject, he didn't want to dwell on that event any longer than necessary. "Yeah, told them that I had enough of being their tool, and that I needed a break. They granted it surprisingly, I'm still not sure why they allowed me to leave."

He shifted, lying back down with his hands behind his head, "They suppressed my powers, can't erase it apparently, and sent me off on my merry way. I went back to camp and got my stuff and well, I moved around."

"What about the woman you courted?"

Percy blinked, "The woman I-" he laughed, "Dude, just say girlfriend! No one says courted nowadays!"

"Perhaps they should then, it is more courteous that way." The god said stiffly, glaring at him.

Percy smirked, his eyes melancholic, "We broke up. Obviously. I know, it wasn't technically her fault that she didn't tell me about my-heritage. But it doesn't change the fact that she'd been lying to me ever since we met. Its not something you get over that quickly."

Loki cocked his head to one side, "I…see."

Percy sighed, "No, you don't. Look, it wasn't her fault that she couldn't tell me. Really, but she agreed with them, that's why it hurt, because she agreed, and before she knew me, she was willing to treat me as a tool to be molded accordingly. It was only after she got to know me that she began becoming uncertain."

Loki turned away. Percy sighed again, "Well, I didn't really mean for this to become story time. Sorry about that."

"No." Loki said quickly, "No, I am honored that you chose to tell me. Thank you."

Percy reddened and looked away. The god grinned lightly at the boy's reaction to being thanked and hesitated slightly, his voice soft, "How can you stand to even be in the same area as I let alone interact with me?"

Percy gave him a questioning look, though he had an inkling as to what this was about. Loki turned away, feeling the first signs of guilt well up in the hollow cavity where his heart supposedly was. "I murdered your parents, I took away your life. How can you know all that and still look me in the eye without any hatred?"

Percy gave a soft 'ah' at the question, pondering the best way to answer the god. "It isn't really your fault you know." He held up a hand, "No let me explain." He took a deep breath, thinking about his mother and Paul was like rubbing salt into an open wound, but he could tell that the god was genuinely curious and guilty, and Percy couldn't in good conscience let him wallow in self pity. "Look, it was...circumstantial. Yes, you brought the attack to New York, yes, I know the exact reason why you did so, but you aren't responsible for every action that your army commits. From what I know, you ordered them to attack, but you directed their attacks at the buildings mainly yes?" Seeing Loki's reluctant nod, he continued, "You tried your best to reduce the death count, but they're not fully under your control are they?"

Percy sighed, rubbing his hands together, "Look, what I'm trying to say is that, my parents - they, they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. I could blame the space whale for choosing that particular building to crash into, I could blame the avengers for killing it right above my parents, or I could blame myself for not getting there faster. I could even blame Thanatos for reaping their souls." He looked at the god, forcing him to maintain eye contact with him. "I don't blame you because it wasn't your fault that they ran past that particular building." Percy sighed, hugging his knees to his chest, "If anything," he said softly, "It's my fault for running away like a coward. If I had stayed with them then..."

Loki stared at the demigod - no, the child beside him, because that was what he was, a child who had been forced to grow up before he was able to experience the joys of childhood. Forced to step up to carry the mantle of leadership, forced to live through horrors that many could only dream of. The god hesitantly placed a hand on Percy's shoulder, unused but offering the only form of comfort that he knew, "If you had stayed there, perhaps you would not be sitting here now. And I would still be trapped in the dungeons below Asgard." He cleared his throat uncomfortably and removed his hand when Percy looked back at him with gratitude evident in his eyes, deftly changing the subject, "How, pray tell, did you come to work with the mortals then?"

Percy hummed, tracing random designs in the ground beneath him, "Well, I certainly didn't find them that's for sure. After I came down from Olympus... Well, I just headed elsewhere, trekking over random places and hunting any monsters that I came across. I was angry," he looked down, "I was undeniably angry, I didn't want to talk to my dad at all. It's like, they could spare the energy to protect the mortals but he couldn't even lift a finger to save my mum, the woman he loved."

Percy sighed harshly, "Anyway, I was somewhere near San Francisco when SHIELD found me several months later. They sent in one of their best agents to recruit me. I wasn't really keen on working for yet another group of people who wanted to use my talents but at least they were straightforward about it. Despite what I thought about the organization, it wasn't that different from my life as a- as one of the Greeks, but well, it was something I was familiar with. And I needed familiarity."

Loki looked at him, "So you joined them."

Percy nodded, "I needed a purpose in my life again, one that didn't comprise of fighting wars for people who didn't appreciate it. At the time, SHIELD seemed like a perfect idea. I had a purpose, and I could start anew in a place where nothing from my past life could pop up." he sighed, "Well, up until that incident in Alaska which led to everything snowballing into this." He looked at he god, smiling, "But I can't say that I regret it."

They both fell into a sort of awkward silence, sitting out on a cliff in the middle of the night. Percy looked up, tracing out the constellations in the sky. He grinned as an idea came into his head, "Hey, does Asgard have constellations?"

Loki blinked at the sudden question, turning to look curiously at Percy, who was facing the sky. "Yes, we do have many different constellations, although the stars that hang in Asgard's skies are from a different galaxy as yours." He said, unknowingly repeating the words his brother said to his own mortal lover not five Midgardian years ago.

Percy grinned, "That's interesting. Here, you don't get to see much of the stars if you're in the main city, cause all the pollution blocks out any view of the stars. But if you go to a spot like somewhere near a beach, you can usually see the different constellations, and it's nice." He turned to the god of mischief and grinned, "Most are actually Greek you know?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Percy nodded and scooted over closer to the god, pointing upwards, his fingers tracing the outline of the stars, "Look, that's Scorpius, or Scorpio, either one, somewhere beside him is Orion, my half brother, who is a complete and utter jerk, if what Lady Artemis says is true. She placed it up there so that it chases Orion forever, after the guy tried to rape one of her hunters."

Loki leaned back in shock, "Truly? I had always assumed that Artemis loved Orion, and she placed him in the sky to honor him."

Percy laughed, "That's the mortal version, but no, Artemis placed him up there as punishment cause he's deathly afraid of the Scorpion, so she made it such that the creature would chase after him for eternity."

He pointed to another constellation, tracing the outline of a female wielding a bow and arrow, "That's the constellation of The Huntress, also known as Zoe Nightshade." He said quietly, "One of the best hunters to have ever lived, and someone I'm proud to call a friend." He ignored the god's curious look, and continued, "She was Lady Artemis' lieutenant for almost two thousand years, and when I was fourteen, she went on a quest to save her mistress, who had been trapped by Atlas."

He looked sadly at the sky, "She knew that she would die at the hands of Atlas, her father, because of a prophecy we received before the quest, but she still went anyway, and she fought with bravery and honor. Artemis sent her to the sky to honor her."

Loki looked up, feeling respect for a girl he had never known. It took courage to face your death head on, especially knowing that it was coming for you. "What other constellations does this puny world have?" he said, trying to raise the somber mood.

Percy laughed, "Hey, it's not puny alright? Say something more insulting and I won't tell you the stories."

Loki raised his hands in mock surrender, the turmoil in his heart calming as the hero beside him pointed out the stars and the stories he learned from his time at camp. They talked well into the dawn, even after the stars disappeared and gave way to the sun.

* * *

Surprisingly, the next morning, Tony was the first to get up. Well, in a manner of speaking, since he had been up the whole night in his lab, tinkering with his suits and upgrading the various weapons of the avengers. He had expected that everyone was in their own rooms sleeping or doing god knows what in there (contrary to popular belief, he didn't really want to know what went on in other people's bedrooms) and it was fine with him because he always stayed up late anyway. Well, depending on your definition of late, since he was just starting on his next sleepless run.

So when he walked to the living room, intent on grabbing more caffeine (the supply in the lab had run out) to jolt him awake to continue on his technological roll, and saw both Loki and Percy out cold on the couch, within touching distance of each other (read: practically cuddling already), his first instinct was to scream his head off.

Both Percy and Loki bolted upright at his scream, the seasoned warriors in them allowing them to react instinctively at the first sign of danger, the two of them found themselves in a half crouch, one on the floor, the other on the couch, daggers and guns held out, eying the room for any dangers. Thor came crashing down through the ceiling nearly less than a second later, hefting Mjolnir, while Natasha and Clint both dropped down silently after Thor through the gaping hole he made. Matthias tumbled down from the stairs, standing in a defensive position with his eyes narrowed dangerously as he vaulted over the railings from the stairs to the second floor and landed softly on the first. All of them had their weapons in hand, looking around for the supposed threat.

"What the hell Tony?" Clint demanded, his sandy blond hair mussed up, sticking out at all angles.

Tony just gaped, not responding to Clint's calls. Percy looked around, frowning, "Were you attacked?" He asked, his mind jumped to their newest guest, thinking that the other had made a move.

Tony didn't say anything; he just kept staring at Percy and Loki.

Loki noticed and scowled at him, straightening out a little, "What is your problem mortal?"

That snapped the genius out of his self-induced shock, "What's my problem?" Tony screeched, pointing at them, "Why the hell are you both sleeping together?"

The rest of them slowly let down their weapons, seeing no assailant in sight, giving confused glances to the questionably mad genius.

Percy, who had realized what he was talking about, scowled. He clicked the safety of the gun back on and stored it in his jacket, which he had apparently slept in. He glared at the superhero, who was still staring at them in shock. "What, it's a crime to sleep on the couch now?" he demanded, coming out of his crouch when it became apparent there was no danger in sight, his cheeks tinted red.

Loki sneered and re-sheathed his dagger, which was hidden in his boot, glaring at the mortal who had interrupted his much needed sleep.

"No!" Tony protested, his hand waving about in elaborate gestures, "I mean, you both were on the couch, sleeping and what was I supposed to think?"

Percy stared incredulously at the other man, "How about, we were both sleeping?" he said slowly, as if he was talking to a child. Honestly, certified genius or not, Tony Stark acted like a kid more often than not. It was a wonder how this man had created the Iron Man suits.

Clint glared at Loki, and then turned to Percy, "You slept with him?"

Percy groaned, glaring at Tony, "Stop putting it like that, I didn't sleep with him you bunch of annoying idiots. We talked, we got tired, and we slept on the nearest thing which happened to be the couch. Okay?"

Thor frowned at his brother, who glared back at him, a hint of a smirk in his sharp green eyes, daring him to say anything.

The god of mischief sneered, "Some of us do actually need to rest like a normal being Stark. How you mortals put up with his ceaseless, childish prattling befuddles me."

Percy rolled his eyes, interrupting Tony's annoyed rant at the god, "He's right Tony, and it's like what, six in the morning?" he squinted out at the still dark sky, "I just fell asleep damn it."

"Well it's your fault for staying up to talk kiddo. Children should go to bed by ten." Tony sniped, trying to salvage whatever pride he had left..

Percy scowled at him and sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Whatever, since I'm up now," he yawned, "I might as well go wash up. I need to talk to you all about some stuff anyway." He looked around, "Where's Bruce? And Steve?"

The avengers all blinked then looked upwards, "I think he slept right through Tony's girlish scream." Natasha murmured.

Clint shook his head, "I think Cap went to check on Bruce. So he doesn't Hulk out because someone screamed like a little girl."

"Hey!" Tony protested, "It's not girlish! I was shocked alright?"

Percy rolled his eyes and hopped off the couch, beckoning for Loki to follow him, "I have some clothes that you might just be able to fit in... Although I think it may be a tad small since you're taller than me." He turned to the rest of the avengers, giving them a significant look, "We need to talk, and can we meet back here in about fifteen? Since we're all up anyway."

The other avengers all nodded, "I'll go tell Steve." Natasha said.

Loki raised his eyebrow at Percy and nodded, his mind already alert despite the surprise wake up call. "What are you going to tell them?" He asked quietly as he followed the demigod to his room.

Percy's face became serious, "We need to talk about our newest guest, for one. What's your opinion of him?"

Loki blinked at him in shock, not expecting the other to ask him for his input.

Percy read his expression correctly and said, "You _are_ the god of lies you know, if anything, I bet that like Apollo can tell if someone isn't speaking the truth, you can tell when someone is telling a lie." He smirked as a thought came into his mind, "I wonder how you and Apollo would get along? God of Truth versus the God of Lies."

Loki scowled at his antics but nodded, deftly ignoring the second part of his sentence, "I would advise you not to trust him, though that should be obvious." He said, "His behavior suggests that whatever he says is true, but that could be a product of excellent acting, which I doubt. And sometimes, the best lies are the truth. He could be using the truth to fuel whatever ulterior motives he has."

Percy frowned, opening the door to his room, heading for the closet first.

"So, no trusting huh. We can do that. We need to keep an eye on him anyway. Right, we also need to tell them about Asgard." He said, looking Loki straight in the eye, "About what I told you last night. This morning. Whatever."

Loki nodded, grimacing slightly. He didn't have much choice; one of the avengers was from Asgard anyway. He was only worried that everything would turn on him somehow, knowing his brother, he was liable to place the blame on him somehow.

"You don't have to worry you know," a voice cut through his musings, he looked up to see Percy staring amusedly at him, "They'll be fine."

Loki scowled, "I was _not_ worried about them." He snapped, annoyed that the other had assumed as such.

Percy just laughed and threw a set of clothes at the god, giving him a knowing look, "Go change, I need to change too. I smell."

* * *

As agreed, the avengers regrouped in the living room after fifteen minutes, Tony giving Percy and Loki weird looks when the latter came out wearing a black shirt that he had somehow managed to fit in without it looking too small. They sat- or in Loki's case, lounged – on the couch, waiting for the other avengers. Once the rest, minus Bruce, had arrived, Steve assumed his role.

"Right, Bruce is giving – Agent – Matthias a full physical, so we have roughly an hour and a half before he comes out. He said that he would drag the physical for as long as he can. So, what have we got? Percy?" Steve said, directing the conversation to the youngest of their group.

Percy raised dark eyes to them, frowning, "SHIELD is compromised." He said bluntly, seeing no point in mincing his words at this crucial time.

Clint leapt to his feet, his eyes growing wide in shock, "That's not possible!" he shouted, "We received a valid order from Hill herself!"

Percy narrowed his eyes, "And I talked to Hill myself too. Right before I was attacked."

The avengers all gasped and looked at each other, Steve and Natasha frowning thoughtfully. Tony scowled, "As much as I hate SHIELD, couldn't it have just been some individuals?"

Steve shook his head, "I don't think so."

Natasha continued for him, "We were attacked on the plane as well, by chitauri that were supposed to be our pilots of all things. Those were SHIELD agents, or they were supposed to be. It was too well coordinated to be just a few individuals."

Percy nodded, scowling, "I know they were following me, and I hightailed it out of there before they could really launch an attack though. But that was on the Helicarrier, the one at your tower," he nodded at Tony, "that one was by SHIELD as well."

Clint still gave them dubious looks, while Thor remained silent, he did not have much affiliation with the organization that they were discussing about, so he was not as affected as they were.

"But it was a legit mission, maybe they were supposed to off us in the plane, they probably didn't expect us to survive it." Even as he said it, Clint didn't sound as though he believed his own words.

Before any of the other avengers could comment, Loki spoke up, "No. it was a trap."

Clint glared at him, "And how the hell would you know that?" he sneered, "You keep in contact with your alien buddies?"

Loki stared impassively at him, "Following your train of thought, assuming that the attack on the plane was an individual event, then there would be two avengers left alive if they were successful." By now, the god had the avengers' undivided attention, because as much as they didn't like it, he was making a hell lot of sense.

He continued, reveling slightly in the attention he garnered, "SHIELD would undoubtedly be aware of your tactics, they would know that you would send your two fastest members - the fliers, to the site first to scout the area, leaving the four of you in a plane, trapped in a confined area where the chitauri can easily take you out." He glanced at his brother momentarily, "The base was filled with chitauri, any mortals that could have been there were all long dead, they set up the area to eliminate the remaining two avengers. Two attacks on two separate groups of heroes, taking out the entire team in one shot."

Steve frowned, "There's a lot that's been left to chance. There was no guarantee that the attack on the plane would have been successful."

Loki raised his eyebrow, a mocking smile spreading across his lips, "No guarantee? Oh Captain," he drawled, earning multiple glares, "If I had not diverted that chitauri's weapon, you would have a gaping hole in your chest that not even your advanced healing or Stark's invention could save you from." He smirked at the other avengers who were on the plane, ignoring Stark's gasp and surprised look at the Captain, "If I did not alert you mortals to the fact that your pilots were not ordinary, you would all be lying dead in the very transport that you have sitting outside this mansion."

Clint snarled, "So what, you trying to say that without you we'd be dead or something?"

Loki grinned, "Actually, yes. That is what I was trying to say. Thank you for your wonderful insight." He smirked, "I knew there was a reason why I chose you."

"Why you little - !" the archer snarled, leaping up, causing the god of mischief to stand as well.

Percy got in between them, with Natasha gripping Clint's arm tightly, one hand on each of their chests, "Woah woah woah. We're supposed to be discussing, not fighting damn it!"

Clint bared his teeth, "Blame the fucking asshole then, he's the one asking for it."

Loki sneered, "I was merely stating the truth. You criticize my lies but you cannot handle it when I state the facts, how utterly hypocritical."

Percy growled, "Shut up both of you!" He glared at Clint and Loki, who were locked in a staring contest. He pushed them both backwards, still standing between them. He glared at Clint first, "Clint, sit down and shut up. Please. We can't afford to be sidetracked now." He turned away from Clint's indignant face and looked at Loki's triumphantly smiling one.

He pointed at the god, scowling, "And you," he snapped, unconsciously sliding into the role of a leader with ease, "stop antagonizing others. You want to state the facts? State it, don't add your own twist in it. As I said, we don't have time to get sidetracked." He took one look at the god's surprised face and huffed, settling back in his seat, inclining his head at Steve. _A bunch of children,_ he thought, _I'm dealing with a bunch of children. And here_ _I thought that only the Stolls and Clarisse did that._ He grinned inwardly at the thought of the three of them. He realized that he missed them, he missed their quarrels, their pranks, even Clarisse's 'Prissy' comments. Most of all, he missed camp, the place he had called home for so long. He had shoved all those thoughts to the deepest recesses of his mind when he had joined SHIELD, but facing the gods again, spilling his entire story to the green-eyed god beside him had brought out those memories again. He didn't know if he could even face them, not after what he knew. He shook his head and refocused on the conversation, Steve ordering the two of them to cease and desist.

They discussed the implications of the attacks, if it meant that SHIELD was completely taken over and if Hill had been compromised as well. Percy shook his head when Clint suggested that she had been mind-controlled, glaring at Loki all the while. "She didn't have blue eyes, her eyes were the normal black." Percy said, shooting down Clint's theory.

Natasha started, and the avengers turned to her, "I hadn't noticed at first, but now that you said it, Hill has brown eyes, not black."

Silence descended.

Tony scowled, "So what, they have another mind-control spell?"

Loki shook his head this time, "No." he frowned, "The previous time, that scepter, it was the only weapon that could channel the mind gem. A mind-control spell, as you mortals say, is feasible, but highly unpractical. It requires far too much energy to maintain for long periods of time, and is highly inefficient if you use it on only one person, as it is in this case, and also if you take into account the distance between the caster and the victim-" he broke off when he saw the confused expressions on the mortals' faces. Only Percy had an amused look, but that was because he knew about the gems, even though the explanation of magic went over his head.

Tony frowned and leaned forward, "Wait, you said mind gem. What's that supposed to mean?"

Loki rolled his eyes and sighed, _mortals,_ he thought, _complete and utter ignorance of everything important._ "The _gems_ ," he hissed, exasperated and annoyed at their ignorance, "There are six gems, called the Infinity Gems, the mind gem is one of them, it's uses are exactly what it sounds like-"

"Whoa wait up." Tony cut in, "What are the Infinity Gems?"

Loki gritted his teeth in frustration, closing his eyes to reign in his anger, it wouldn't do to blast the mortals anyway, as much as he wanted to, he didn't want to go against the Norns, and even he was not as foolish as to do that. He glared at Thor, his green eyes frigid, "Did you _not,"_ he said lowly, "explain to your precious mortal friends what those were?"

Thor had the gall to blink confusedly at him, "Brother, I have had no reason to do so, nor would I have known how to explain the gems, other than they were artifacts of extreme power."

Loki hissed at him, "No reason to do so? No _reason_ to _do_ _so_?" he snarled, slamming his hands against the couch, "I gave you a reason three mortal years ago!"

They all started, "What-" Steve began, but Natasha was faster, "The Tesseract?"

Loki growled in frustration, running a hand agitatedly through his hair, he reached beside him and grabbed Percy's hand, yanking it up for all of them to see, ignoring the demigod's startled yelp, _"This,"_ he hissed, "Is a gem. It is the power gem, also known as the Aether. If," he turned to Thor, who had opened his mouth, "You are going to ask me how I know that and you don't, it is because you never paid attention to your history lessons." He watched in vicious satisfaction as Thor snapped his mouth shut, doing a superb impression of a fish.

He turned cold eyes to the other avengers, "Foolish mortals. You fished the Tesseract out from one of your oceans and you attempt to use its power, all without knowing what it truly is capable of."

Clint scowled, "Then why don't you explain to us oh mighty and knowledgeable one?" he mocked.

Loki pressed his lips together but did not rise to the bait. He stared at the Captain, who nodded once, then sighed, "There are six gems, Mind, Power, Reality, Soul, Space and Time." he said, counting them off on his fingers, "If an individual has all six gems, and the Infinity Gauntlet, that individual would be raised to a god-like status, and I do not mean the standard of Thor and I, the being would be infinitely more powerful and on top of that, the individual would also be able to manipulate the six aspects that the six gems represent all at once."

He grabbed Percy's hand again, with Percy just sighing at being used as an example, "This is the power gem, it enhances power and grants the user a strengthened body. The only drawback is that the energy it gives off is extremely potent and which acts as a beacon. I felt it in Asgard, when it was awakened here on Midgard. Hence the reason why the chitauri found you and attacked." He turned to Percy, saying, "You escaped the first time I believe, when you used it again, they tracked its energy signature and targeted you specifically."

Percy nodded, as did the other avengers, with Tony wincing slightly, though the movement went unnoticed.

Loki continued, releasing his grip on Percy's wrist, "The Tesseract is the Space Gem, as you should know," he looked at Clint, who scowled, but nodded, having been the one to suggest to Fury that it was a doorway. "It takes the user through space, opening wormholes and doorways."

He crossed his legs and leaned back into the couch, "Of all the gems, the Tesseract is perhaps the most active gem, being able to be used outside of the Gauntlet. Of course, all gems can be used, like how the Tesseract was used by the chitauri to open a portal for me, but none can be used to their full potential. It usually requires a magical conduit to be able to operate, like the machine that I had Selvig build in order to open a stable portal to allow the chitauri to enter Midgard, which is why, it is surprising for Perseus to be able to wield it as though it were his own weapon."

Percy frowned when the attention of the avengers turned to him, but he did not shrink back, like he would have done years ago.

"So," Steve said hesitantly, "The scepter, it has the mind gem?"

Loki shook his head, "No." he bit his lip, unsure of whether to tell them, "Thanos," he contained a flinch at saying the Mad Titan's name, "seeks the Tesseract, he would not have been willing to risk the mind gem in order to gain the Tesseract."

Natasha scrutinized him, "What do you mean risk the mind gem?"

Loki sighed, "Thanos would not have allowed me to bring the mind gem to Midgard. Not even for the Tesseract."

Percy nodded understandingly, while the avengers all contemplated his underlying meaning, "In case you failed, then he would only lose one gem instead of two."

Loki nodded, "Not much is known about the Soul and the Reality gems, except that which can be inferred from the names itself. That leaves the Time gem, which again, lies in Thanos' hands."

Steve gained a thoughtful look on his face, "So this guy, Thanos, has two of the gems, we have two of them as well. Well," he amended, "Us and Asgard. There are only two left which cannot be found-"

"Wait up." Clint interjected, "How do we know you aren't having us?"

Loki rolled his eyes, it was a wonder how the mortals got anything done at all, being so petty all the time, "Ask your own Asgardian."

They all looked to Thor, who fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat, "I do know of the existence of the gems, but I do not know much about them." He turned to his brother, "How did you come by such extensive information?"

Loki sneered, "Only a fool would not look up information on the powers that could very well destroy Asgard!"

Thor frowned, "Brother, this is no time for games and riddles! Speak clearly now!"

Loki laughed, "I do not take orders from you, you buffoon." He sneered, "And if you would just use that pathetic excuse of a brain for once, you would understand that I am referring to the fact that the very weapon that I was describing, the Infinity Gauntlet that allows the suer to control the gems to its fullest powers lies in Asgard's vaults!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, all color drained away from his face, he hadn't guessed why the chitauri had gone straight to Asgard when Percy had told him what the gods had relayed to him last night, but it all made that much sense now.

What shocked him more was the equally horrified look on his own brother's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do leave a review on your way out! And thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think about this story on your way out!


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